


To Sleep, Perchance

by Hypnobyl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon deviation, F/F, Reworked, Slow Burn, formerly: Can't Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-08-17 09:59:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 127,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8139886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypnobyl/pseuds/Hypnobyl
Summary: After returning from Neverland, Emma can't fall asleep--which turns out to be a problem when life in Storybrooke refuses to just stay peaceful. Battling insomnia, an outbreak of wishes come true, and a gang full of dogs isn't at all easy without sleep. Thankfully, the cure seems to come in the form of a surly mayor and a bit of cuddling.





	1. Chapter 1

Emma flopped onto her back and examined the extremely interesting patch of ceiling overhead, which she could barely make out through the darkness of her room. This was officially reaching ridiculous levels. Three nights in a row, she hadn't been able to sleep easily or well. The night before last, she'd finally fallen into an exhausted slumber, but she'd woken up after two hours and an incredibly terrifying nightmare. She’d spent the rest of the night convincing herself that the people she loved were still alive.

She felt like she were going crazy.

Trying to lull herself into some form of rest, she stared unblinking into the darkness. She counted sheep, tried to meditate, and smothered herself with her pillow--but the next thing she knew, Snow knocked loudly and quickly on her door to wake her for the day.

"I'm already up," Emma growled. She knew Snow wasn't to blame for her exhaustion, but her temper had worn thin after such prolonged sleep deprivation. She’d apologize later, maybe. At the moment, she didn’t feel too terribly guilty about snapping.

Snow pushed the door open and frowned. "What's with the tone?"

"Sorry." She wasn’t exactly apologetic, but if she didn’t at least utter the word, then Snow would mope around all day like a kicked puppy.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

"What's 'it'?"

Snow extended her hands in what was certainly supposed to be a pacifying gesture. "I don't know. Why you're upset first thing in the morning? It."

"I'm not upset." Even as she spoke, Emma realized first, she sounded like a whiny child, and second, her voice utterly belied her words. She let out a deep sigh and shrugged. "I just haven't been sleeping."

"When did this start?" The look of concern on Snow's face convinced Emma to try and get some good advice out of the woman who wanted so badly to be her mother. Doing so was worth a try, anyway, although Emma didn’t really have much experience relying on others.

"When we got back from Neverland."

"So, what changed?"

"I don't know! If I knew, I would fix the problem!" Emma threw her hands up as her frustration reared its head yet again. "I slept fine on the island."

Snow gazed into Emma’s room, her face brightening as she spotted Emma’s mussed sheets. "Is your bed too soft?"

"No, Regina made us a—" Emma cut herself. She and Regina had shared a bedroll to keep warm, and Regina had used magic to make things more comfortable for them both. This bed was no less cushioned than what she slept on there. The only difference was that she was now alone. The change was that Regina wasn’t next to her anymore.

"Regina?"

"I need to go." Maybe, just maybe, Regina was the key to all of this. Emma gathered some fresh clothing to throw on over her undergarments. Feeling more energetic than she had in several days, Emma scampered to the door and kissed Snow’s cheek. The affection was an apology, in lieu of actually excusing her prior bad behavior. "It's an experiment."

"…Okay…" Snow watched Emma hurry past and shook her head slowly.

0-0-0

Emma practically sprinted the distance to Regina's home. The Mifflin manor was lit up, which meant either Henry or Regina were still home. As much as she loved the kid, she hoped dearly that Regina were the one still about. She pounded on the front door until someone answered and then beamed at the sight of Regina in a sleek, body-hugging skirt suit.

"Ms. Swan, I'm on my way out the door. Can this wait?"

"I need you to sleep with me."

Regina stared at her, mouth slightly agape. "Care to rephrase that?"

Emma caught her mistake and flushed. "Like in the same bed. It's an experiment."

"I will not be some science project, Ms. Swan." Regina backed away, ready to shut the door. Her feelings were not to be trifled with, and she wouldn't allow Emma to toy with her.

Emma caught the door before it could close. "I'm not sleeping, Regina. Like at all. Not since we got back, and not since I don't get to sleep with you. My brain is literally turning to mush, I can just feel it. So, please. For the sake of my sanity, let me sleep in your bed. Damn it."

"Now?"

"That would be awesome, but you're busy.” Emma cleared her throat and lifted her hands. If Regina wanted to slam the door in her face, she’d understand. “I get it. I can come back later. Please."

Regina gestured for her to enter. "Let me send Henry to school, and then we'll discuss our options."

0-0-0

Emma swallowed nervously as Regina slipped beneath the covers. In the abstract, this was a fantastic idea. In actuality, Regina was a very imposing, very sensual, very demanding… the list of adjectives trailed off in Emma's mind. There was no clear way to define just how out of her depth she felt when it came to the other woman, who was now staring at her as if she were dumb. She supposed that in comparison with the fine tutelage Regina had received as a young woman, she must look rather daft in comparison.

"Ms. Swan? Are you going to stand there all day? I do have better things I could be doing with my time."

"Sorry!" Emma approached the bed, apprehension settling in her stomach. This might not work—she might be wasting Regina's time. She might be embarrassing herself entirely, too, and all of it on a whim. There was no real reason she ought to believe that sleeping next to Regina would solve anything. Still, Regina was expecting her to follow through, so she clambered awkwardly in beside Regina and set her head on the second pillow. "Can I…?"

"What?"

"Can I hold you?"

"If you must." Regina kept her voice firm and even, never once letting on how pleased the suggestion made her.

Emma slung her arm over Regina's waist and tugged the brunette against her. Regina's rear nested neatly against her groin, and she tried to ignore the sensation. The proximity was heady in more than one way. Already, she could feel her eyelids getting heavy, but she mustered a final line of conversation.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"A law enforcement officer too tired to function? One who has a gun? I'm doing this for the safety of my town."

"You could just take my weapon away."

Unwilling to further divulge her feelings, Regina huffed. "Do you want to sleep alone?"

Emma shook her head drowsily. "You smell nice."

"Ms. Swan."

But Emma had slipped beyond the realms of communication. Her lips brushed against the nape of Regina's neck as she snoozed, and Regina allowed herself a fierce blush while nobody was around to see. There was more to this arrangement than she was letting on, but Emma didn't need to know that. If Emma professed a need to sleep next to her, then she was under no obligation to explain how desperately she wanted the same.

Regina inhaled slowly, enjoying the aroma that was so uniquely Emma. She'd grown used to the scent after sharing a bedroll and found that she missed smelling it every morning. She couldn't define what Emma smelled like–-she had spent hours puzzling over it,-but in the end, she determined Emma just smelled like home. Her arm was falling asleep already, but she glanced down at the sleeping blonde and decided to let Emma rest undisturbed.

For someone who had grown up completely separate from the town and its inhabitants, Emma put in a great deal of effort toward keeping things running smoothly, from simple tasks such as rescuing cats from trees to the more intense curse-breaking, child-saving aspects. She deserved a break, especially when the alternative included adding additional layers to the bags lingering under her eyes. Although she would never admit so out loud, Regina was concerned with Emma’s well being.

Besides, she didn't often get time to look at the other woman or touch her freely. The desire to do both these things had only been growing, and this was the perfect opportunity to sate her appetite. She trailed her fingers down Emma's arms, pausing momentarily to admire the defined musculature, and then brought her hand up to cup Emma's cheek. She finally moved slowly up and ran her fingers through Emma's hair.

How her worst enemy had produced the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, she'd never figure out. But the fact remained: Emma stole her breath away. The thought was minutely terrifying. She hadn't trusted anyone with her heart since Daniel, yet somehow Emma had taken it from her without her even noticing. She doubted Emma was even aware of her inclinations, and she planned to keep it that way.

Things were safer when there was no risk involved. Emma could return to her repulsive parents, and Regina could continue co-parenting and yearning from a distance. There was no way she would ever put her feelings on the line for anyone ever again. Fool me once, she thought, and never again. Additionally, Emma didn’t seem to feel the same way, so there was no reason for Regina to needlessly risk embarrassment.

Although she did want to let Emma continue sleeping, a growing need to relieve herself, in conjunction with the buzzing sensation in her now-numb arm, forced her hand. The wonderful moment had to end. "Ms. Swan, I have to get up."

Emma stirred, lifting her head from its oh-so-comfortable pillow. "Hm?"

"I have to get up."

"No, you don't." Emma clung tighter to the brunette and closed her eyes once more. "Little longer?"

"You pressing on my bladder isn't making that more likely," Regina retorted. She extricated herself from Emma's octopus grip and immediately felt the lack. "I'll be back."

Without Regina in her arms, Emma flopped onto her back and tried desperately to recapture the deep sleep she had just been enjoying. However, it wasn't the same. There was no warm body pressed against her, no steady heart beat thudding near her ear. Regina Mills was an addiction, and she'd just taken her first hit. The need for more thrummed through her veins, but she fought to keep the experience in perspective. This was an experiment, she reminded herself. Regina had only committed to one afternoon of napping.

She groaned at the very thought of having to return to Snow's apartment that night. Her bed just wouldn't be enough. She'd no doubt spend the first few hours staring at the ceiling and contemplating her existence, and somewhere around three a.m., she'd probably sniffle a little over how out of control her life had become. She wasn't looking forward to how tired she'd be in the morning.

Twisting her head, she buried her nose in the pillow and let Regina's scent calm her back down. Getting overwhelmed was easy when she had no viable anchor in town. She was adrift in her new responsibilities, and the tides were pulling her in too many different directions. Sooner or later, she feared she’d get swept out in the undertow.

"Are you quite alright?"

"Mm." Emma pushed the lump in her throat down. She would enjoy this moment while it lasted and thank Regina for allowing her at least a few hours of excellent rest. The moment Regina was back in bed, Emma curled around her and refused to let go.

Regina relaxed into the embrace for several minutes before she whispered, "May I ask you a question?"

Emma had been drifting on the fringes of sleep but willingly opened her eyes fully at Regina's whispered question. Regina watched her cautiously, as if she were some sort of mythical creature that had magically appeared in bed. Emma wasn't sure what prompted such a tentative look, but she brushed the curiosity away with a yawn.

"What?"

"What is your relationship with Baelfire?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "He's an idiot. A big, stupid, lovable idiot."

Regina stiffened under her. "I see."

"I'm not saying I'm in love with him," Emma responded, although why she felt the need to clarify that particular point was beyond her understanding. "I'm just saying that what we had was really important to me. I don't think I'll ever really forgive him for what happened. That's awful, isn't it? I'm the true love baby of Snow White and Prince Charming, and I can't find it in my heart to forgive a guy who made a mistake twelve years ago."

"It's understandable." Regina's tone was muted, and she kept her eyes averted. Don't be stupid, she warned herself. Simply because Baelfire wasn't a romantic fixture in the blonde's life didn't mean advances from her would be welcomed. All this cuddling must have addled her brain. When Emma left, she would be able to think clearly. Her heart clenched as she realized that Emma would indeed be leaving sooner or later, and she had no good reason to make the blonde stay. They had agreed on a single afternoon of napping, and she wasn’t willing to ask for more.

"Why?"

"Idle curiosity," she lied. "Forget I brought the matter up."

Emma watched her a moment longer before settling back in. She had learned early on that there was much more at play in Regina's words than the plain meaning. Still, she had no idea if Regina was genuinely curious due to personal reasons or because of the worry that Neal might somehow take Henry.

When Emma's breathing evened out, Regina relaxed. She had been worried that her questions might have prompted Emma to think things through, but once again, she had overestimated Emma's capacity for deep thought. She had no doubt that Emma was intelligent, in her own way, but she didn't think the woman actually reasoned through her actions. Although she would never verbalize the idea, she imagined them to be the perfect sort of pair. She was thoughtful and could implement strategy, while Emma had strength of heart and body. They balanced one another.

"Would you ever consider it?" She murmured her words as she stroked the length of Emma's back, "I can't give you much. I took your family from you when you were young and resisted giving it back. I acted out against you. I actively sought to ruin your reputation. I poisoned our son. I'm not good, Ms. Swan. You shouldn't cling to me as you sleep... You ought to fear for your life and happiness."

Regina leaned down slow as ice melting, bending her chin into her sternum, and kissed the top of Emma's head. Just one kiss wouldn't be damning. Emma was asleep and would be none the wiser. Except when she kissed Emma's hair, she was suddenly struck by the crazy desire to kiss other places as well–-Emma's nose, perhaps, or her cheeks, or, if she were truly daring, her lips.

She firmed her resolve. Emma was here to sleep, not get molested while unconscious. She settled back against the pillow, closed her eyes, and tried to think of anything but the woman currently using her breasts as a pillow. Emma mumbled nonsensically in her sleep, and Regina groaned. Doing the blonde a favor had suddenly evolved into some new form of torture.


	2. Chapter 2

"Regina?" Emma pried an eye open, feeling more rested after a few hours than she had in perhaps her entire life time. Regina was truly magical, which was, she understood, a bit of an understatement. The relief she felt was unquantifiable, but she felt as though she ought to at least try to verbalize her gratitude. She’d never be eloquent, but she could be polite.

Regina sighed. Apparently, nap time was over. "Yes?"

"Thank you for doing this for me."

"I suppose it is my responsibility as mayor--"

"I'm not thanking the mayor. I'm thanking you," Emma clarified.

The statement caught Regina off guard. It was such a rare occurrence that someone recognized that she wasn't her position. The people who barged through her office day in and day out treated her as a dumpster for their hateful opinions and self-entitled tirades. Before the curse, she was the Queen, and before that she was her mother's pawn. Very rarely had she just been herself. Daniel, of course, had recognized her as Regina, and now to hear Emma claiming the same—she had trouble breathing.

"Your thanks are not necessary."

"So? I'm gonna give 'em anyway." Emma hesitated but for a moment. Whether Regina accepted her gratitude, she needed to say what was on her mind. "I feel so much more rested—but I could totally sleep forever if you let me… Was there something you had to get to today?"

"I already alerted my secretary that I wouldn't be in today. Sleep as long as you need."

"Y'know, Regina, you can really be a good person when you put your mind to it." Emma snuggled back down, unashamed of the manner in which she clung to Regina’s body. She was too pleased by the opportunity to be embarrassed by her neediness. "And damn if you don't have a comfy bed."

"You've barely touched the bed all day," Regina teased. Color rose in her cheeks as she realized how easy the banter between them was. She shouldn't be that comfortable with Emma snuggled against her.

"Well, you're soft…" Emma trailed off. "I can move if--"

"No."

They stared warily at each other, each wondering what the other was thinking. Emma set her head back down, deciding that she didn’t need to explain herself. Unless Regina asked directly, her motives would remain a mystery. She needed sleep, and that’s all Regina needed to know.

"When does Henry get home?"

"He's got basketball after school today."

"Really? Kid's got skills?"

"Not particularly," Regina stated. "But he tries his hardest."

"You got him the right sort of kicks, right?"

"Kicks?"

"Sneakers," Emma amended. "Shoes totally make a big difference in the game."

"I'll look into it, if you insist."

Emma cleared her throat. One afternoon of geniality might not translate to anything more, but she was honestly interested in expanding their time together. Using Henry as an excuse would get her foot in the door. "I could help you look, if you want."

Regina was silent for several minutes. Unknowingly, she tightened her grasp on Emma's back, but Emma made no comment. She stared up at Regina and waited patiently for an answer – aware that Regina rarely asked for, or received help. Indeed, since Emma had arrived, she'd witnessed the woman asking for help perhaps three times. Regina had an uncanny ability to order others about, but nobody volunteered their services when she needed them.

"I will ask him," Regina finally responded. "However, I think this may be a passing phase."

"Oh?"

"He mentioned the team practices next to the cheerleaders," Regina added. "I happen to know that Paige is one of the junior varsity members. He'd be mortified if he knew I knew, so please keep this information to yourself. I do hope you haven't inherited your mother's predisposition for secret-spilling."

Emma snorted. "I got her chin–-but I think that's about all."

"It pains me to speak well of her," Regina gritted out, "however, I do recognize that she fights fiercely for what she believes in and loves. I do believe you got that as well."

"She… Well, she doesn't fight for me. She never did," Emma's voice mirrored how she felt. It was stupid, she thought, to confide in Regina about this sort of thing, but it just felt like an intimate moment. "I guess that means she doesn't love me."

Regina held her closer. She had no answer to that statement, as she had no idea what Snow truly thought of everything. Yet, Regina knew that if Emma were that intent on having her be a part of the blonde's life, she would fight tooth and nail to maintain that position. The fact that Snow was letting it slip through her fingers angered Regina.

"If that were true, then she would be a fool," Regina finally managed.

Emma closed her eyes. Resting against Regina had given her an illusion of control, but she was beginning to remember how powerless she was. Snow would forever be ignorant and she would let it happen. She was too happy to have parents to rock the boat. If she complained, after all, they might not want her anymore. She’d had enough foster parents over the years that’d tossed her aside for the smallest things, and she had no reason to believe her biological parents would be any different; they'd given her up once before, she reasoned, which meant they very well could again.

They were trying for another baby. She'd heard the quiet cries from the first floor, from when her parents thought she had gone to sleep. Despite their constant assurances that she was a fantastic daughter–all they could ever hope for, really–they were determined to do it right this time. They would keep this baby and raise it from birth until adulthood. This child was deserving of their love and affection, more so than Emma was.

"May I ask why you're crying?"

Emma cleared her throat, wiped at her eyes, and shook her head. "Can I just – nap? Is that okay? For now?"

"Henry comes home at four-thirty. That is four hours from now. If you wish to nap all afternoon, I won't begrudge you your rest."

Emma felt incredibly like a lost, lonely little girl as she rested against Regina’s chest. Regina was steady, however, and the beat of her heart was soothing. Emma listened closely and focused all her attention on the calm it provided her. Thoughts about Snow were banished from her mind. They didn't belong in this moment, she decided. Regina had created a safe space, and she was going to use it.

"Will you nap, too?"

"I'll try," Regina responded. Truthfully, she hadn't been sleepy at all that day; yet, with Emma cuddling against her, it was just too easy to slip unconscious. She felt safe, she realized, and it had nothing to do with Emma being the savior.

Regina slept. She dreamed of her days in the Enchanted Forest, where she wrought terror on the land. She loomed over her subjects, about to start killing in the name of finding Snow when one peasant at the back of the cowering crowd stood. Emma, she thought. The blonde stalked forward, pushed her until her back hit the nearest building, and then pressed her there with the flat of her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know," she claimed. The answer was clear to her, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to admit it to the other woman.

"This isn't you, Regina."

"I know."

Emma invaded her personal space, cutting off her air as that arm pressed more firmly to her larynx. She grabbed at Emma's arm and tried to free herself. A moment later, the blonde's lips were on hers, and all the fight she had left in her fled. Emma's grip relented, but her breath didn't return.

"Regina?"

Emma’s voice pulled her from the dream, and she fought to suck in another breath. "Yes, Ms. Swan?"

"Uh," Emma trailed off. She didn't know how to tell Regina that Regina had grabbed hold of her breast had had been gently kneading–and that the attention had both roused and aroused a very confused Emma. "Well…"

Regina realized by herself what had taken place, ripped her hand away, and jerked out from under Emma's weight. No wonder she couldn't breathe, she thought. The blonde lummox was cutting off her air and making her dream odd things. It was all Emma's fault, she thought darkly, and had nothing to do with how badly she wanted the other woman.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not particularly, no."

Emma nodded. "Need me to go?"

Regina wanted to say no, but perhaps it was for the best. She clearly couldn't control herself. "Yes, I think that might be necessary."

Emma stood, although she wanted nothing more than to remain against Regina for the rest of her life. If this was truly what Regina wanted, she would respect that. She neatened her shirt, trying to linger for a moment longer to give Regina a chance to change her mind. But the brunette was staring stoically at the opposite wall.

"I'm not offended," she ventured. "I know it's not your usual fare–having someone in your bed, I mean."

"What are you implying?" Regina snapped. Anger was easier to deal with than whatever Emma was dredging up. Having feelings for Emma was one thing, but actively admitting what they were was another.

"Nothing! Damn it, Regina. You're twisting my brain all up. I'm just trying to say that I was pretty much all over you. I don't blame you or anything. It was just–normal? A natural reaction to having someone so close, right?"

"What's your point?"

"I really liked this." Emma wasn't very good at expressing her feelings, but simple statements were easy enough.

"Ms. Swan…"

"I know it probably weirded you out, but I really appreciate it. Maybe if I can't sleep again on my own, you'll let me sleep here again for a bit? Just to recharge."

Regina scooted upright and frowned. "That's all you want? To recharge?"

Suddenly Emma felt like she was being tricked and trapped and conned all at once. "I'm not really that clever, Regina. I don't know what you're getting at. Be blunt–I know you can be. What do you mean?"

Regina froze, unaware that Emma would push her in this fashion. People in Storybrooke just bent to her will. She'd never been questioned before Emma, and now the blonde had unwittingly backed her into a corner.

"I just meant that if... if this is to be a service," Regina invented, "then we'll have to come up with something to tell Henry."

"Oh." Emma deflated a bit. She had hoped there was more to this than Regina was letting on, but the brunette seemed decidedly against that sort of thing. The denial hurt, in a way, although Emma wasn't sure she could pinpoint why. "Well, he'll understand that you're helping me sleep."

"By letting you sleep in my bed."

"Well, it's the truth."

"He'll find it strange." Regina felt cold, despite the blankets on her lap. Without Emma covering her, she was leaking heat at an alarming rate. She shouldn't call the blonde back to bed. She ought to let Emma walk out the door and hope that Emma never looked back. She bit her lower lip to keep from speaking further and revealing her hand.

"Stranger than finding out that his entire town and family are from a storybook?"

Regina fiddled with the sheets. "He is a resilient boy, but you're the savior, and I am the Queen. We should be enemies."

"You're Regina," Emma countered. "And I was really hoping I could just be Emma."

"I'm merely speaking in his terms," Regina shot back. "He won't understand."

"What's to understand? We're adults, and his parents, so as far as I'm concerned, we tell him it's what we're doing, and he accepts it."

"I can't lose him, Ms. Swan. You may be able to live without him, but I am not."

The shot landed. Emma frowned deeply and turned. "I didn't think I had a choice. Besides, that's between me and the kid."

"Ms. Swan…" Regina regretted her words, said only in the interest of protecting her emotional well being.

"No, I get it. Mother knows best," Emma said. She tilted her head down and nodded slowly. "Okay, so this was a bad idea. I'll figure out how to sleep on my own. It can't be that hard. And hey – if I need a sleeping curse to get some rest, I know where to come."

Regina cursed herself as Emma walked away. She got out of bed, began to trot after her, but froze. What could she say, she wondered, without putting herself at risk? I might actually like you, she tried and shook her head. I want to sleep next to you every night for the rest of my life. No, she thought, these just simply wouldn't do. The front door creaked open and then slammed shut, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

There were very few times in her life when she could admit to being jealous of Snow White, but that afternoon she had many reasons. Emma was heading home to the insufferable woman, first of all, but more importantly, Snow could express how she felt and what she wanted with nary a care in the world. The woman's expressiveness was almost a problem, Regina thought. She hadn't seen the woman confess in the Echo Cave, but she'd heard about it.

She wasn't sure how Emma was coping with the idea that she still wasn't enough for her parents, or with the fact that Snow had been willing to leave her again just to stay with her prince. If Emma's quiet words that afternoon were anything to judge by, there was an emotional wound that wasn't healing, and all because Snow was able to openly declare her emotions.

Regina sat back against her bed. She'd spent too many years disrupting the lives of others. Henry wanted her to be better–-and part of that was living out her days having as little impact on the lives of the townsfolk as possible. She was mayor, yes, but she tried to consider the negative backlash of her actions. Before making any decision, she pondered what Henry would say. Would he be proud? Or would he look at her with utter betrayal and add more cracks to her heart?

He wouldn't approve of her meddling in Emma's affairs, even if it meant her happiness. She pulled a pillow into her lap, squeezed it to her chest, and tried not to feel too terrible.

0-0-0

"You look rested," Snow greeted cheerfully.

Emma brushed past her mother, the good mood she'd gained from her calm afternoon with Regina shattered. All she could think about was how miserable her night was going to be. She avoided Snow's curious gaze and shifted from foot to foot.

"I am," she finally responded.

"So the experiment was successful?"

"…Yes." Emma squirmed and could stand still no longer. She headed for the stairs so as to avoid any further questions from her mother, but she wasn't able to escape in time.

"Can I ask what the experiment was?"

"You really don't want to know."

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't curious about the answer."

Emma's foot tapped against the stairs. "I went to see Regina."

"Did she use magic on you?"

It felt like it, Emma wanted to say. Regina had cast some sort of spell, and now, she was enraptured. She was clearly acting under Regina's influence, but she wouldn't case that sort of doubt on the other woman. Any magic between them was unintentionally enacted. She shook her head.

"No, she just let me sleep in her bed."

"If you wanted a different bed, you could have tried mine," Snow offered, managing to sound wounded.

"The bed wasn't the experiment."

"Then what was?"

"Regina," Emma stated. She braced for the backlash, but Snow only sighed.

"Emma…"

"Don't take that tone with me, please." Emma rubbed the back of her neck. "Isn't it good that I got some sleep?"

"Are you going back?"

"It was too weird, so no. I'm going to try to find some other options."

"Do you just need someone nearby?"

She needed Regina, Emma thought, but she said, "It couldn't hurt to try."

"Tonight, then." Snow beamed. "We'll make sure you sleep like a baby."

"Thanks…"

0-0-0

Emma closed her eyes and listened to Snow's slow breathing on the opposite side of the bed. It was rhythmic and soothing, so she focused in on it and tried to sync her own inhalations and exhalations up with Snow. Snow was asleep within minutes, but Emma remained awake. Her frustration bubbled in her stomach. This should have worked, she thought.

But no. She was horribly addicted to Regina Mills and the woman's ability to lull her to sleep. Emma grimaced, rolled onto her side, and prayed to whatever gods were listening to just grant her a few minutes of sleep. She didn't want to be dependent on a woman who could barely stand her presence. For a moment, she'd thought Regina might like her on a more personal level, but the amount of sass directed at her was too hard to overlook.

When Snow began to snore, Emma tried to remain strong. She didn't need Regina. She didn’t. She would find another way, no matter what. She plugged her ears, slowed her breathing once again, and tried to shut her brain off. The damn thing kept whirring however, and dragged her back to Regina. The woman was hiding something, Emma realized. They were similar in a number of respects, the largest of which was their tendency to lash out when something hit too close to home.

She had no idea what Regina was so sore about, but she didn't want to exacerbate the situation. The best thing she could do was keep her distance and hope that either she found a way to sleep, or Regina came around in the next few days. Deep down, Emma knew that she wouldn't be resting much until she somehow reconciled with Regina. Until then, she'd have to listen to Snow snoring and pretend that everything was just peachy keen.

0-0-0

Emma set her forehead against her desk and groaned. Leroy echoed her sentiment as he sat up and clutched his temples. She wished he would be hung-over just a little bit more quietly. He retched for a moment, and she squeezed her eyes shut, but he quelled the nausea and instead burped. She wished that there were just about anyone else in the holding cell.

"Hey, sister, you can let me out."

She rolled her eyes. "Leroy, you don't want that. Granny's still baying for your blood. You broke her counter. Why would you bring your pick into the diner?"

"It's a part of me," he argued. "It goes where I go."

"Unless you're going to the mine, that's not a good idea," she grunted. She didn't have the energy to deal with this, and she didn’t want to spend the rest of the morning arguing with him. Doing so was difficult on normal days, so she didn’t think she’d survive it while feeling like trash. She grabbed the keys from her belt and staggered to the holding cell. "If I let you out, do you promise to go straight home and sleep it off?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course."

"Get out of here." She unlocked the cell and shoved his shoulder. "And go easy on the beer. You've already got a gut, so slow it down."

"I gotta keep up with the boys."

"Sure you do. I should really charge you rent."

He tossed his wobbly hand up as he left, and she took his place on the cell's cot. Maybe she could manage a nap, she thought. This was an extreme change of environment, so she might be able to trick her body: she was just resting her eyes, she told herself, and just for ten or so minutes. She pulled the ratty blanket over her legs and willed herself to sleep.

"Emma?"

Emma groaned and sat up. "What can I do for you, Ruby?"

Ruby lifted a carry-out bag. "Brought you lunch."

"I didn't order lunch." Emma examined the bag from afar, and then wandered closer. "What is it?"

"It's a cheeseburger and fries," Ruby answered. "And yeah, I know you didn't order it."

"Who did?"

Ruby smirked. "I kinda like knowing something you don't."

She held the bag out of Emma's reach until Emma nearly battered her. She huffed and handed the bag over to Emma, who immediately rooted through its contents. It was exactly as Ruby said, and she set the burger on her desk. She was definitely hungry as often as she was tired these days, so the gift of this lunch was more than acceptable. She ran through a list of possible culprits.

"Snow?"

"Nope."

"David?"

"Nope."

"…Henry?"

"Nope."

"You."

"Nope," Ruby responded. With each name her grin widened until it was painfully stretched across her face. "You'll never believe it."

"Regina?"

"Okay, so you will believe it. She just walks into the diner this morning, slips me a twenty, and tells me that I should bring you lunch and keep you company. It was the weirdest thing. Then she just took her coffee and walked away. I was tempted to just keep the twenty-"

"Ruby."

"BUT clearly I didn't because I'm here with your lunch. So eat up. I only have a thirty minute break, and that was as of five minutes ago."

Emma unwrapped the burger and took a healthy bite, all the while watching Ruby suspiciously. When her mouth was cleared enough to speak, she asked, "She didn't say anything? Mention why?"

"Nope. You know how mysterious she likes to pretend to be." Ruby shrugged. "So, I let her. I didn't bother asking why. It's not like she made it herself and could poison you, right?"

"Right…"

"So… is there something going on between you and the mayor lady?"

Emma shook her head. "Definitely not. She's not into me. Take my word for it."

Ruby snorted. "Alright, if you insist…"

"What are you implying?"

"Just that she's never bought anyone but Henry a meal, and now, all of the sudden, she's feeding you?"

Emma stared down at her burger and took another bite. Maybe Ruby had a point. Maybe this was Regina's peace offering. Her heart thudded with excitement-–maybe she could get some real sleep later that night.

0-0-0

Regina watched Ruby approach the building from her window and nodded her satisfaction. Emma might be exhausted, but at least she wouldn't be hungry. Regina doubted the woman ever took proper care of herself, which was irritating. She could, of course, hide behind the fact that as mayor, she needed a functioning sheriff, but she knew her reasons were much more personal.

Emma looked like a wreck when she'd arrived at work that morning. She hadn't even noticed Regina entering the door a few yards away, and the bags under the blonde's eyes had intensified. Guilt rippled through her at the sight. If she hadn't been so allergic to her feelings, then perhaps Emma would be fully rested and ready to take on the day.

So, the burger was a peace offering. If Emma understood the message, she would show up later that night. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to talk about what had occurred before. They’d just crawl into bed together and be done with it. Emma could sleep, and Regina could stop feeling guilty. She sat at her desk and ignored the fact that Emma was enjoying a meal not too far away.

She had more to do than sit around feeling lovesick. There were papers to file and applications to deny–-and Emma to think about. She cursed herself and focused once again on the form before her. Some idiot wanted a larger park and was demanding she exercise eminent domain in order to annex his neighbor's house. She snorted and set the paperwork aside. She wondered if Emma had ever gone over there on a public disturbance call--

This was rubbish. She couldn't go three minutes without her traitorous brain slipping the blonde back into her thoughts. She leaned back in her chair, stared at the ceiling, and cursed her instantaneous reaction against sharing her feelings.

0-0-0

Back in Snow’s apartment, Emma sorted through her clothing. She hoped that the burger meant something, but there was always a chance it was an apology but not an invitation. Despite her doubts, she was going to go to Regina’s place that night and demand answers. Well, she amended, maybe not demand answers, but probably ask for them a few times and then leave if she got a negative reaction.

"Uh, Emma, what are you doing?"

Emma froze, her hands still in the middle of fluffing her hair. "Nothing.

Snow leaned against the door frame and tilted her head, "Are you-–getting dressed up? Do you have a date?"

"No, of course not."

"Is it Neal?" Snow's face lit up. "Henry'll be so thrilled. You two were meant to meet and now--"

"No," Emma snapped. She was too tired for this, but it had to be said. "You want to think that because it's easier. If I was meant to meet him here, then you sending me to this world all by myself was just destiny, not your choice. Take responsibility."

Snow's face trembled. "I didn't mean--"

"It doesn't matter. I'm sorry, or whatever. I'm tired."

"You're going to Regina's?"

Emma smoothed her jeans and straightened her shirt. She pulled a sweater over her head, tugged on a jacket, and wound a scarf around her neck. Snow watched her with the largest doe eyes Emma had ever seen. The woman wasn't ready to be a mother, Emma thought. It was probably for the best she had been sacrificed.

"I need to sleep, Snow. And if being near Regina is the only way to get that done, then I'm willing to live with the awkwardness that comes with it. I'm just so tired of being tired."

"Just… be careful. You may think she's fond of you, but it's just a show."

"Regina proved herself in Neverland," Emma fired back. "You need to stop questioning her."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not five, Snow. I'm capable of taking care of myself. Hell, even when I was five, I was taking care of myself because it’s not like there was anybody around to do it for me.”

Snow stared down at the floor and fiddled with the hem of her fuzzy white sweater. "I know."

"I'll be back in the morning." Emma moved past her, ignoring the fear that Regina would reject her outright.

0-0-0

Regina sat on the couch and listened to Henry move around upstairs. He had been grouchy when she picked him up from school; after learning that she'd had the day off yesterday, he'd immediately demanded a day off as well. Denial of his requests led to the deepest pout she'd seen in recent years. She'd had to remind herself that he was nearly twelve, rather than a three-year-old begging for just one more cookie.

Emma wasn't coming. She resigned herself to that. It was nearly eight thirty, and the blonde woman hadn't shown. It was possible, of course, that Emma hadn't interpreted the gift of lunch as an olive branch, or perhaps Ruby hadn't said who it was from. That was a distinct possibility. Regina frowned. Next time she'd give the wolf clearer directions. Then again, Ruby was a wolf, not a dog, and explicit orders didn’t necessarily mean anything.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Henry?"

"Can I have pizza for dinner tomorrow?"

"You know I bought a roast."

"C'mon. You won't let me take a day, so lemme at least have pizza…" His voice dropped off into a whine, and she sighed.

"Friday. You may have pizza on Friday."

"That's four days away."

"I can count, Henry."

He stomped back upstairs and slammed his door. She settled her temple against her fingertips and her elbow against the arm of the couch. He'd get over it, sooner or later. He loved when she made pot roast. His tantrum was still a demand for power – and she was fairly experienced at dealing with those who felt themselves entitled.

There were dishes to do, she realized. She stood, glanced at the door, and made her way to the kitchen. She'd have to find a more direct route of indirectly telling Ms. Swan that she wasn't opposed to the proposed set up.

0-0-0

Emma dodged the cat's swinging claws as best she could, but it caught her arm with one paw, yowled loudly, and tore a chunk of flesh free. Emma nearly fell out of the tree but managed to maintain her footing on the ladder, despite the pain. She carried the ungrateful mass of hissing fur to the ground, shoved the beast into its owner's arms, and then stalked away, barely listening to the woman's words of gratitude.

That hurt, she bemoaned silently, and she could totally be in Regina's bed right now if not for that dumb woman and her dumb cat being stuck in that dumb tree. She knew she was pouting, and she didn't care in the slightest. She passed a few friendly faces on the street who shot greetings at her, but she moved past them without even acknowledging their existence.

She was in pain, she was tired, and all she wanted was to be near Regina. She wasn't okay with any of those, to be honest, but two of the three seemed fixable. The addiction to Regina, however, didn't seem to have a good solution–-or any real solution for that matter. For the moment, her only option was to grovel for Regina to take pity on her. She really wanted sleep.

She strode up Mifflin, taking but a moment to check her arm. The bleeding was sluggish, and she fancied, just for a moment, that Regina would tenderly clean the wound for her. She could imagine Regina's soft fingers rubbing a warm, wet cloth over her skin. The image made her heart flutter. She shoved it away, grumbling under her breath, and approached the front door.

Three knocks later Regina pulled the door open. For a split second the brunette looked rather ticked off by the interruption in her evening, but Emma watched in silent amazement as Regina's expression melted from frustrated to mildly pleased in a matter of seconds.

"Ms. Swan?"

"Hi."

Regina examined Emma from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, pausing only to stare at the blood oozing from Emma's arm. She gestured for Emma to step inside, and Emma did so without another word. They walked silently to the bathroom, content simply to be together once again. Regina felt as though a large weight had been hefted from her chest, although she could hardly say such a thing to the blonde.

She forced Emma to sit atop the toilet and then dug through the medicine cabinet. Properly equipped, she swabbed Emma's arm, not paying an ounce of attention to Emma's squeaks of pain and indignation. Once the four long scratches were clean, she dabbed antibacterial gel against Emma's skin and slapped a large bandage into place.

"Thanks."

"Did you come here merely to get patched up?"

Emma cleared her throat. "Okay, so no. Not exactly. Hear me out, just for a minute, okay? Because I'm like a train wreck without sleep. So, I'm sorry for half the things that'll probably pop outta my mouth if you let me keep talking."

"Your point?"

"I need sleep, Regina. I need-–you." Regina stared silently at her until she shifted under the intense gaze and tried again. "I'm sorry this is so weird for you, but until we figure out what's up with my sleeping, you're all I've got. I tried drinking a whole bottle of Nyquil."

"That's hardly healthy."

"Okay, so it was an exaggeration. But I took a full dose. Nothing. I took a couple sleeping pills, too. I slept on those, but I wasn't rested when I woke up." Emma rubbed the back of her neck and scuffed her toe against the ground. "So… please. Just tonight, and if it's just too weird… I guess I'll never sleep again."

"You're being melodramatic, Ms. Swan."

"That's just how I feel." Emma jammed her hands into her pockets and shrugged. "So…?"

"You will remain on your half of the bed."

"I can do that."

"Very well. I'm not quite ready for bed yet, but you are welcome to go lie down and wait." Regina gestured to the stairs. "I'll be up in an hour or so."

"Whatcha doing?" Emma resisted going to bed alone, mostly because if she could fall asleep on her own, just in Regina's bed, she knew the other woman would wheedle her way out of sleeping there as well. "Mind if I hang out?"

"You look tired."

"Never too tired to meddle in your affairs. That's in my blood, after all."

Regina huffed but nodded. "You may sit quietly and wait."

"I'm pretty good at that. I had a lot of practice when I was a kid."

Regina led her down the hall to the study, directed her to the armchair, and then took her place behind her desk. She bent her head so that she couldn't see Emma sitting a few feet away and concentrated on her paperwork. Emma sat patiently for five minutes but then began tapping her foot.

"Do you mind?"

"Sorry."

"Control yourself."

"I can totally do that."

Emma dragged her feet up onto the chair so the temptation to tap a beat was completely removed. She rested her cheek on her knee and closed her eyes. Regina was five or so feet away, but the distance was slight enough that Emma was feeling drowsy. She stifled a yawn, relaxed her limbs, and drifted to sleep.

Regina worked diligently until the top of the hour; once Emma was good and quiet, she was able to work quite easily. Almost more easily than if she were alone, she considered. She stretched out her legs and cocked her head to loosen the knot developing at the juncture of her neck and shoulders. When her eyes landed on Emma, who was still fast asleep, she shook her head.


	3. Chapter 3

Glad that Emma was finally resting, Regina decided to do her best not to rouse the other woman. Regina levitated Emma into the air with a slow flick of the wrist. Careful not to jostle the tired woman, she used her magic to move Emma from the study to the bedroom. Before setting Emma down, she pulled the covers back. She eased Emma onto the mattress and tucked the blankets snugly around her guest. She felt a rush of warmth and compassion for Emma; on a sudden whim, she kissed Emma's forehead.

She still had a few things to take care of, like unloading the dishwasher and wiping down the counters, so she left Emma sleeping. Strange, she thought, how much she wanted to curl up next to Emma and not move. Save for a short span of time after Cora's passing, when depression had slaughtered her motivation, she wasn't fond of lounging about in bed. Yet, the thought of Emma lounging with her made it that much more enticing.

In the hallway, she leaned against the wall and massaged her temples. This was solely for Emma's benefit she reminded herself. There was no personal gain to be had, and there didn't need to be. As per Henry's nearly constant instruction, she was trying to do something entirely for someone else's happiness. It was the first step in the twelve step Evil Queen rehabilitation program. She didn't dare ask what steps two through twelve were.

"Mom?"

She focused on him as he poked his head out of his room. "Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm just tired."

She felt like his gaze was dissecting her, so she smiled, intent on diffusing his worry. Nevertheless, he frowned. "Go to bed."

"I'd like to," she said truthfully, "but sometimes adults have to put off what they want in favor of doing what needs doing."

"Sometimes even adults have to take care of themselves, too.”

She met his gaze and offered him a tentative smile. "You're still not having pizza."

He grinned. "I can still hope."

She waited until he retreated to his room before seriously considering his words. Would it be so bad to skip out on her responsibilities for one evening? The chores wouldn’t run away during the night… Still, the question was ridiculous. She wasn't going to alter her life just because Emma Swan was passed out in her bed. She lingered a moment longer before forcing herself to walk down to the kitchen.

The faster she did her chores, the sooner she could be in bed for the night. The memory of Emma's hair splayed out over the pillow was motivation enough to hasten her hands. She nearly dropped a plate before she ordered herself to calm down and do things properly. She emptied the dishwasher more slowly and then pulled out a rag.

"Regina?"

She turned, the rag still clutched in one fist. "You're awake?"

"How'd I get into your bed?"

"I put you there."

"Oh."

"Why aren't you still asleep?"

"I dunno. I just sorta woke up a few minutes ago." Emma shrugged. "So I came to find you."

"It's like you have some sort of radar," Regina commented. She nearly laughed at how absurd the idea was. "Go back to bed. I'll join you shortly."

"Lemme help."

"This is my kitchen, Ms. Swan. I can take care of it." Regina couldn't stop the thought of it perhaps someday being their kitchen from wiggling to the forefront of her mind. She pushed the fantasy away. "It should only take another few minutes."

"It'd be weird if I just hung out around you, huh?" Emma rocked on her heels. "Okay. I won't pester you. Just… don't take too long, okay?"

"Okay," Regina responded, her hand moving automatically toward the counter so that she could complete her task with expediency. As Emma walked away, her eyes drifted down to Emma's rear.

Emma trailed her fingertips along the wall and came to a halt in front of a picture of Henry. He looked to be about three years old and sported a wide grin. There was ketchup smeared around his mouth, and he had a handful of French fries in one grubby fist. Although part of her cringed at the notion of such a discussion, she made a note to ask Regina more about Henry's childhood later. It hadn't been a mistake to give him up, but she did regret not being part of his life for so long.

She stepped back into the bedroom, crawled into bed, and pulled the sheets to her chin. She wasn't sure she necessarily approved of the high thread count that Regina insisted on—preferring flannel to stave off the cold—but she couldn't argue with how comfortable the bed itself was. Under normal circumstances, she'd be asleep in moments.

After confirming that she couldn't hear any footsteps in the hallway, she turned and pressed her nose into the pillow case. Regina's scent covered the light cloth and made her eyes heavy. Maybe she could steal one of these so that she could try tricking herself into a nap later.

"What are you doing?"

Emma smiled sheepishly. "It smells like you."

Rather than comment, Regina simply shut the door behind her and went to her closet. "Avert your eyes."

"Oh, sure." Emma slapped her fingers over her eyes and then childishly peeked through them. Regina pulled her clothing off with short, sure movements and Emma's heart hammered at the sight of the brunette's smooth, tanned skin. Regina's under garments were simple and black, and Emma thought she'd never forget the sight. Which was weird, she argued with herself. This was Regina, after all, and she really shouldn't have any sort of inclinations towards the woman.

Regina pulled her sleep shirt on and did the buttons as quickly as she could, aware that Emma was a yard or so away—she cursed herself. By telling the blonde to look away, she had basically invited the other woman to scope her out. Emma was resistant to authority and fought direct orders more than any other person Regina had ever met. She turned back to the bed and wasn't surprised to see Emma's eyes peering through split fingers.

"Ms. Swan?"

Emma's cheeks flushed a bright red. She rolled onto her side. "Totally going to keep to my side this time. I promise."

Regina slid under the covers and immediately turned so that her back was to Emma. This way, she figured, she could pretend she was alone in bed. Nobody had spent a night in her bed since Henry was very small and in need of her nightmare-defeating powers. It was impossible to completely fool herself, but she could at least pretend it wasn't Emma Swan bumping against her and depressing the mattress.

"Thanks again."

"Go to sleep, Ms. Swan."

"I don't know what I woulda done," Emma rambled. "So really, thank you."

"Go to sleep," Regina repeated. The more they talked, the harder it became to not deal with her feelings, and she had no interest in doing so. "As that was the entire purpose of your visit, was it not?"

Emma bit down on her lower lip. She also sorta wanted to see Regina, but this didn't seem like the time nor the place to discuss such things. She yawned and nodded, "Okay, okay. You're right. Good night, Regina."

"Good night, Emma."

Regina stiffened at the slip of her tongue. She hadn't meant to call the blonde woman anything but her formal title. Keeping a distance between them, metaphorically if not literally, seemed safest. She'd hate for Emma to get the wrong idea—which was, coincidentally, the right idea. Regina squeezed her eyes shut.

Emma smiled at the use of her name, but knew better than to needle the other woman about it. She let herself relax and soon enough she was asleep. Her dreams were restless, however. The worries she'd been too tired to consider while awake crowded her unconscious mind.

She stood in the middle of a large empty field her hands empty and her body bare. Wind whipped past her and raised a layer of gooseflesh; she rubbed her hands ineffectively over her upper arms. She spotted a dust cloud on the horizon and looked around for something with which to cover herself. There was nothing but the grass around her. She splayed one hand over her breasts and the other over her groin.

The cloud cleared into residents of Storybrooke marching toward her. They approached, oblivious of her nudity, and spoke over one another. The shouting drove her to throw her hands over her ears, and she dropped to her knees.

"Please stop!"

Despite her pleas, they continued screaming demands. She pressed so hard her fingers sunk into her skull. She ripped her hands away from her head, taking chunks of hair and flesh with her, scared and in pain. The people were circling her, their noises hardly even human anymore. She swung at them as they blurred together.

She opened her eyes and found Regina staring intently down at her. Regina’s hand was on her shoulder, the gentle shaking of which had roused Emma from her nightmare. She pawed at the moisture on her cheeks, sniffled, and tried a small smile. It failed horribly, so she allowed a frown to overtake her features.

"You were kicking," Regina explained. "I thought it best to wake you."

"Thanks," Emma murmured. "Just some shitty dream. I should be fine."

"And if it resumes?"

"I'll deal with it."

Regina huffed, "If it will help you sleep without slamming your heel against my calves, you may sleep against me."

"Seriously?"

"Don't make me regret this," Regina sighed.

She gestured for Emma to curl against her and schooled her expression carefully blank. A contented smile was threatening to overtake her lips, and that would be completely unacceptable. She allowed Emma's head to come once more to rest against her chest and tugged Emma's arm across her stomach. She wrapped her own arm around Emma's shoulders, settling her fingers on the curve of Emma's hip. Once they were properly positioned, she glanced down at Emma.

"Will this suffice?"

Emma nodded. "I mean, if it's cool with you? Will it, y'know, make you dream?"

Regina fought the rising warmth in her cheeks. "I will be fine."

"Then it's perfect. Hopefully now I won't have shit dreams, huh?"

"That was the intent, yes."

Emma closed her eyes and snuggled closer. Once Emma's eyes were off her, Regina let the tiniest of smiles push up the edges of her lips. For a single, silly moment, she let herself imagine that this was how things were every day: she could come home from work, cuddle up next to this beautiful woman, and be content. Her fingers slipped under the hem of Emma's shirt and rubbed a tiny circle against Emma's soft skin.

Even asleep, Emma hummed at the affectionate contact. Regina took this as permission and continued her tiny massage, which honestly was just an excuse to touch Emma directly. Her fingers traveled inward, exploring what she could reach. They encountered a rough patch of skin and, curious, she pulled Emma's shirt up. There was a long, thin scar that followed the dip of her hip into her shorts. She ran her fingers over the stretch marks she spotted—Henry, she decided.

Enough was enough, she scolded herself. She was definitely stepping beyond the boundaries of polite conduct. She withdrew her hand and prepared to sleep.

0-0-0

Emma stretched as she woke, arching forward and cracking her toes. She pulled Regina closer, which was quite a feat considering they were already nestled snugly together. Regina grumbled in her sleep, but her grasp on Emma's arm tightened. Half-asleep, Emma lifted her head and kissed Regina's cheek. She hadn't slept so well in a long time, she thought. The sleep she had just experienced could be bottled and sold for millions of dollars. She considered that her estimation was a bit of an exaggeration but shook her head. That was the price tag, she determined, and not a penny less.

While Regina was still asleep, Emma allowed herself a more thorough examination of Regina's face and body; her perfunctory glance down Regina's nearly nude form the night before had been tinged with embarrassment. This morning, however, she felt entitled to a quick look-see. Nothing too invasive, she promised herself, and she wouldn't move Regina's clothing at all. The fact that she even thought that made her cringe and subsequently wonder what exactly she wanted from this weird relationship.

During sleep, Regina's top had shifted several centimeters to the side. Emma's cheek had been close to resting against Regina's warm flesh. Emma determined that it wouldn't have been so bad if that had happened. Maybe next time, she thought and then frowned. She was assuming there would be a next time, and she really shouldn’t get her hopes up. Regina had been kind once, but that could easily change.

Emma set her head back down. She hoped this could be a common thing until her sleep patterns fixed themselves. So many nights without decent rest had left her short tempered with everyone she encountered, and she had even snapped unduly at Henry. Right now, she felt like she could deal with anything and everyone, and all of it with a smile.

Her eyes had just drooped closed once more when Regina shifted against her. She quickly slowed her breathing and feigned sleep, although she wasn't sure why it was so important to her that Regina not catch her actively snuggling. She waited for Regina to pull away and was greatly surprised when the opposite occurred.

If she wasn't mistaken, Regina had kissed the top of her head. She yawned widely and melodramatically, announcing that she was now awake. Regina jerked back and immediately released her grip, which made Emma regret dropping her game.

"Good you're awake," Regina commented, "because you were cutting off my blood supply. Are you certain your mother is not part koala, or perhaps octopus?"

"Pretty sure," Emma rasped and then cleared her throat. She didn't miss the way Regina trembled when she spoke.

"Father, then."

"Negative."

Regina pulled out of Emma's arms, tacitly ignoring the pout that overtook Emma's face. So that, she mused, was where Henry got it from. She had certainly never taught him the expression, but it had been damn near lethal when he was a very small child. Thankfully, its effects lessened with age. At nearly thirty, Emma had very little effect on her.

Still, it was best to completely avoid temptation. She was moments away from returning to bed, so she forced herself to cross to the master bathroom. Even with her back turned and the door shut, she could sense Emma sprawled on her bedspread, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She turned the water on in the sink and splashed her cheeks. This lovesick act of hers had to stop, she instructed herself. She was going to clean up for the day, bid Ms. Swan goodbye, and go to work as if nothing unusual had happened.

As soon as Regina was in the bathroom, Emma rolled around the bed. She was definitely going to steal one of the pillow cases. It wasn't as good as sleeping with Regina, but she would bet cash money that Regina's scent would at least grant her the ability to nap. She wondered idly if Regina had indeed cast some sort of spell like Snow thought.

It was possible and it might explain why all she wanted was for Regina to return to bed. She wasn't even tired anymore; she just wanted Regina in her arms once more. The thought was a little disturbing. True, she no longer thought of Regina as a threat, but to jump from casual non-enemies to cuddle-buddies? Emma frowned. There was something wrong with her. She pulled her nose away from Regina's pillow and sat up.

Wanting to be helpful, and convince Regina that this should happen again, she set about making the bed. She pulled the sheets flat, then the comforter, and finally arranged the pillows just so. She could hear the shower running, so she tiptoed into the hall and opened the nearest door. Thankfully, it was the linen closet, as she predicted, and she found a spare pillow case. She definitely had enough time to swap in a fresh pillow case and to pocket the used one. It wasn't creepy at all.

"Emma?"

She spun around, the pillow case drooping in her fist. "Good morning, kid."

"Why are you here?"

"…Checking your linen closet for… uh… magic."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm a kid, Emma, not dumb."

"Uh…"

"You look better," he said, before she could come up with a reasonable excuse. "Like you're not on the brink of keeling over."

"Oh, well, thanks, kid. Such high praise. Watch out, or you'll give me a big head." She fidgeted and glanced at the master bedroom. Regina's shower would be over soon, and she hadn't performed her switch yet. There was nothing to tell Henry, however, that would justify her prancing back into that room.

He laughed, but his eyes quickly sobered. He had Regina's sharp gaze, Emma noted, and Regina's ability to stare straight through her. She wondered how hard it was to learn that particular skill, as it would no doubt aid in her position as sheriff, but her thoughts were cut off as his mouth opened again.

"Why… are you holding one of my mom's pillow cases?"

"Because… she asked me to exchange it? With the one on her bed? Something about it needing a clean?"

"Emma, my mom washes the sheets every Sunday afternoon. It's clean right now."

"She got it unusually dirty," Emma stuttered. She slowly shoved her hand back into the closet and set the pillow case down. "Okay. Uh, you're right. I should probably go. Tell your mom that I went home, huh?"

"Why were you here?"

"We had an early morning discussion about your allowance. Ask her about it. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to discuss finances with you."

His face lit up. She had finally lit upon the one topic that could distract him. "Oh, that's awesome! Did you convince her I needed more? Because I'm getting to that age where I could maybe take a girl out-"

"Really don't need to hear this, Henry." She plugged her ears and marched to the stairs. "For all I know, you're six years old, think girls have cooties, and need the money to buy more marbles."

"Kids haven't played marbles in decades, Emma."

"Smart mouth," she called back at him, taking the stairs two at a time. She stepped out into the brisk morning air and suddenly realized that her clothing was rumpled, her hair was disheveled, and she probably looked like she was making some sort of walk of shame home. Ah well, she thought. There was nothing shameful in finally getting some sleep.

Regina jammed her head under the spray and let the conditioner wash out. Her shower was longer than was strictly necessary, but she was gathering her thoughts. She was going to march into her bedroom with a rant on her lips. She would regale Emma with all the reasons this was a bad idea, and then the blonde would understand just why their sleeping arrangement shouldn't continue. She couldn't bring herself to say no, though, so if Emma weren't convinced, then she was afraid she'd just roll over.

Regina Mills did not roll over for anyone, let alone the daughter of Snow White, no matter if the blonde fit perfectly into her arms and smelled like heaven. She was once the Evil Queen, she reminded herself. She had no right to traipse about like a child with her first crush. Emma's pout crept into her subconscious, and she growled.

She needed to put a stop to this, right now. At its current trajectory, her affection for Emma would be blossoming into something she couldn't prune by the end of the week. It had been so much easier to watch Emma from across the diner or from her window. The distance made it believable that they could never be together in any fashion. Even friendship was off the table when there was so much space between them. With Emma sleeping practically on top of her, though, she was forming notions.

She twisted the knobs and stood dripping in the stall. Maybe, the dying voice of her optimism suggested, she ought to tell Emma about everything. Maybe Emma would react positively.

No, she argued, there was no way the Savior would ever fall for her. She was ashamed of herself for even thinking that was an option. The proximity, she determined, was the true perpetrator of her emotional upheaval. She wrapped a towel tightly around her body and stepped out of the shower, determined to set some boundaries, once and for all.

Her bedroom was empty, and her rant died on her lips. Something small in her heart deflated and died; she felt used. Emma had needed a good night's sleep and nothing else. Although she had been dead set on telling Emma that there was nothing between them, she couldn't stop the hurt from bubbling in her stomach.

"Mom?" Henry pushed the door open and peeked in at her. "Emma mentioned that you were going to raise my allowance?"

"When did you speak with Ms. Swan?"

"Like five minutes ago." He cocked an eyebrow. "She was in the middle of raiding the linen closet, or something. I dunno. She was acting really strange."

"And she mentioned your allowance?"

"Well, she was totally herself when she mentioned my allowance. Nothing strange about that behavior, I promise."

"Henry, we've talked about this. If you want a larger allowance, you need to start doing more chores around the house."

"Emma pretty much promised you'd give me twenty dollars a week." He smiled cheekily at her. "It musta been a pretty serious discussion, if you invited her over before you showered."

Ah, Regina thought. Emma had been intercepted by their son, couldn't come up with a viable excuse, and had fled in the face of explaining herself. She could almost picture the panic that must have stricken Emma's face when he caught her –

"In the linen closet?"

"Yeah."

Regina walked past him and opened the closet door. "What was she doing?"

"Just sorta holding a clean pillow case and staring at your bedroom. She said that you wanted her to change the case because you got yours dirty?" He sounded perplexed. "But I told her that wasn't right, because-"

"Thank you, Henry." She cut off his explanation and picked up the discarded pillow case. She wondered what exactly Emma wanted with it.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma jogged down the street, greeting every person she passed with a chipper call and a smile. Most silently nodded their heads with confusion-filled gazes, but she didn’t pay them any mind. So, she’d gone a few weeks without making eye contact, exchanging pleasantries, or greeting the townsfolk. Today, she was ready to tackle the day--as soon as she got home, showered, changed her clothes, and had a cup of coffee, in that order. Her mood was soaring into the skies when she stepped into the apartment but clattered to the ground as she came face to face with the disapproving face of Snow.

"You didn't come home last night."

Nope, Emma wanted to state. What gave it away? But she withheld her sassy comments and shrugged. "I was sleeping with Regina."

Snow's expression fell nearly as quickly and drastically as Emma’s mood. "Emma…"

"Okay, wait. That came out wrong. Like it was literally sleeping. It wasn't sexual."

"I don't care if it was or wasn't--"

"You don't?" Emma stared at her, baffled. She’d never shared her sexuality with her parents, partially because she’d never gotten around to defining her attractions but also because she assumed they’d have some sort of dated, Enchanted Forest sensibility about sex and relationships.

"What you do with your romantic life is your own business, Emma. I'm not upset that you're attracted to women. I'm upset that it's her of all people." Snow stepped forward and placed a hand on Emma's arm.

Emma gingerly eased out of Snow’s grip. “I never said I was attracted to women--”

Snow's lips curved up into an understanding smile. "It's okay, Emma. My love for you is unconditional."

"I--"

"Shh." Snow shook her head and maintained eye contact. "You don't have to come out if you don't want to. I've done a lot of reading on the internet, and you'll do it when you're ready."

Emma rolled her eyes. She found it a little uncomfortable when Snow tried to be a parent, especially when those efforts seemed to demean her. "Gee thanks, Mom. I really appreciate it."

"What I am concerned about is Regina. She's not who you think she is."

"We've talked about this before…"

"And you haven't once listened. She pretends to be exactly what you want, and then she hurts you before you can realize it's just an illusion-"

"Snow. She's not the same woman who got trapped into being your step-mother. If you'd give her a chance, I think you'd see that for yourself." Emma bounded up to her bedroom, ignoring the rest of Snow's indignant commentary. 

The Snow White she remembered as a child was a meek, sweet woman, Emma thought. That Snow won the day by being kind to all the woodland creatures–-someone much closer to the Mary-Margaret of old. Emma missed that woman.

This version of Snow, the one trying to mother her at every turn, was headstrong and a bit egotistical, if Emma had to be honest. She kept hoping that a bit of Mary-Margaret's levelheaded approach would return, but she was aware that she was probably waiting in vain.

Thankfully, not even Snow could completely tear down her well-rested, good mood. A warm shower quickly resuscitated her, and she smiled broadly as she tugged on a pair of dark skinny jeans, a turtleneck, and her knee-length boots. She clipped her badge to her belt, checked her appearance in the mirror, and set off for the station practically whistling.

"Good bye…" Snow called from the kitchen. She clutched a large wooden spoon to her chest and watched Emma with either reproach or regret; Emma couldn’t figure out which.

Throwing her hand up in passing, Emma decided that it didn’t really matter which Snow felt. She had other places to be and a lot to do. "See you later, Snow."

"Will you be home for dinner?"

Emma wondered idly if Regina would invite her over. Then again, that was a lot to expect. She'd already invaded the woman's bed; Regina probably didn't want her around for every aspect of daily existence. She nodded her confirmation.

"What are we having?"

"I was going to make lasagna."

It wouldn't be as good as Regina's... She scolded herself for the wayward thought immediately. Snow's would be delicious, too. She had faith in that. If she was going to make it through the day, she'd have to divert her thoughts away from the brunette. Every time her brain tried to slip Regina in, she was going to think of something awful and ugly. Determined to stay focused, she hurried down the street toward work.

On her way, she stopped a few times to chat with locals about the weather and whether she thought winter would be too cold this year. The small talk would have driven her crazy before, but a little bit of sleep was a wonderful cure for her frustration. By the time she reached the station, she was humming under her breath. She strolled in, kicked her legs up on the desk, and threw her hands behind her head. 

Bring it on, she thought. There was nothing this day could throw at her that she wasn't prepared to tackle head on. 

An hour later, her spirits were flagging. Her leg jittered against the floor, and she leaned forward on her elbows. All there was to do that day was attend to paperwork. She hated paperwork, but not for the reasons Regina usually accused her of. She wasn't lazy; she was just hesitant to complete any kind of formal writing. She hadn't finished high school, a fact she was reminded of every time she thought of Henry nearing that age. Soon he'd be smarter than she was. To be honest, he probably was already, she thought ruefully.

Regina would look at her work, was her fear, and think that she was stupid. She didn't know how to be professional, she didn't know how to use the jargon, and she didn't know how to spell very well. Not to mention, the letters tended to shift around on her, even when she concentrated as hard as she could. When she read, she stuck to magazines, where the pictures could assist her understanding of the overall story. She knew she wasn't dumb, but her literacy level left much to be desired. She had no interest in Regina realizing this or forming some sort of judgment against her.

So, she spent her days at the station praying for a phone call, otherwise known as a reason to leave the paperwork undone and go do something with her hands. She hated rescuing cats from trees and chasing Pongo through various backyards and side streets, but that's what she was good at. She was fast, lean, and strong–-she just didn’t excel with words.

With nothing to distract her, she bent over the keyboard and wrote two sentences. As she read them over, she noted all the red lines the word processor added and frowned. Some of them, she could fix with spell-check. A few, however, were so badly mangled that not even the computer’s dictionary had any idea what she was saying. The phone rang and she grabbed it before the first ring had ended.

"Sheriff's Station, Sheriff Swan speaking."

"This is Tom Clark–-Sneezy-–I've been robbed." The frantic sentence was punctuated by a hysterical sneeze. Emma was glad they were over the phone because she could just imagine the splattering of mucus that no doubt resulted.

"Gimme some details. Do you know who did it? How long ago did the offense take place?"

"Just now! He's still here. I've got him trapped in the back room."

"You're out on Main and Plymouth, right?"

She jerked her desk drawer open, withdrew her handgun, and hooked it to her belt. While she didn’t plan on firing the weapon, she liked having it as a bargaining tool. He sobbed his assent, so she hung up and sprinted outside. This was the sort of thing she lived for: taking down perps, wielding her elected authority, and using her hands to dole out her own style of justice. Sitting behind that desk simply whittled away at her patience.

As she stretched her legs and ran the short distance down the street, she considered how lucky it was that the attempted robbery had taken place that day, rather than at any time during the past few weeks. She wouldn't have been much of a sheriff, if she was too sluggish and tired to dodge a punch. Now, though, she was energetic and ready to do her job.

She burst into the pharmacy with her hand on her holster. The store was quiet, save for a series of loud sneezes coming from the rear. She crept around corners to ensure that everything was clear before approaching the short, stocky man practically weeping in front of his stock room.

"Mr. Clark?"

"Oh, thank god you're here." He grasped at her sleeve, and she tried not to flinch. His fingers were covered in germs, she expected, and now so was she. Regina wouldn't approve, she was sure of that.

Emma pulled free from his desperate, snotty grip and approached the door. She listened quietly and shushed Clark when he snuffled too loudly. Through the thick door, she could hear something moving. It didn't sound like shoes on the floor, however, and when she called out her identity and what she was about to do, there was no answer but a very tiny whuff.

She shot a curious look at Clark, who shrugged at her. She undid the button holding her gun in its holster and pulled the door open. As soon as there was a scant foot of space, a small terrier darted into the aisles. Emma watched it streak down the street before turning her judgmental gaze onto Clark.

"You were robbed by a dog."

"He's a thief," Clark wheezed. "You saw the bag between his teeth. Damn animal loaded money from the till in there before trying to take off, while one of his dog buddies distracted me!"

"So, you're saying a pack of dogs is conspiring against you."

"You saw it!"

"I saw what was maybe a ten pound terrier mutt running out of your storage room," Emma clarified. "Unless you have some sort of video recording system and some footage to show me."

"I'll have the footage tonight," he promised. "But it has to render first."

"I'll be back in the morning, then."

If, she amended silently, she got enough sleep to deal with this town and it's highly unique problems. She turned as he extended his hand, hoping that he thought that she just hadn't seen his desire for a handshake, and walked toward the open door. Before she could make her escape, she spotted Regina approaching and quickly busied herself with examining a knee brace. She frowned, as if deep in thought, and turned the item over a few times in her hand, all the while commending her excellent acting abilities.

0-0-0

Regina walked slowly, her head raised and her posture elegant as per usual, but her eyes didn't quite focus on anything in particular. Her mind tumbled along in a much more disorganized fashion than she was accustomed. One moment she was thinking about Henry, and the next second, she found herself considering the texture of Emma's hair.

She entered the pharmacy with her head in the clouds, although she could focus just enough to recall why she was there. She rang the bell at the front and tapped her foot expectantly. Clark dried his tears as he approached. He dug through a pile of bags and found the one with her name on it. She paid silently, not even bothering to thank him for his services. This was a monthly expenditure, and every month they barely made eye contact. He probably was too embarrassed by the contents of her prescription, and she simply had no interest in interacting with him. She caught a whiff of a familiar scent--she refused to think about why she knew--and turned her head. Emma stood with some sort of brace in her hand and red coating her cheeks.

"Oh, Regina. I didn't even see you come in."

"You did, too." Clark sneezed. "You were leaving, then you saw her, so you stayed."

"What? No! I was totally in the market for a knee brace. I have… bad knees?"

"Will you be making a purchase?"

She glared at the man until he stepped back meekly and walked away, leaving the two women to their conversation. Once he had fled, Emma smiled at Regina. "Like I was saying, I didn't see you come in. You come here often?"

"Are you always this smooth, Ms. Swan?" Regina wondered why Emma’s bumbling was so endearing. Certainly, she didn’t allow this level of ineptitude in anyone else around her, yet there she stood, nearly blushing from Emma’s attention.

Emma's grin wavered. "Smooth?"

"You want something. What is it?"

"I can't just make conversation?"

"No," Regina stated with calm and even certainty. "Nobody simply makes conversation with me."

"I do," Emma insisted. She did have a favor to ask, but after that exchange, she wasn't keen on asking. "Come to lunch with me? My treat."


	5. Chapter 5

Regina searched her mind for a valid excuse not to accept the invitation—spending more time than was absolutely necessary in Emma’s presence would lead to nothing good—but she couldn't think of anything that would warrant a refusal.

She mustered a firm: "I ought to get back to town hall."

"Even the mayor has to have lunch…" Emma countered, folding her arms over her chest. "Unless you're on some new diet fad, and I just didn't notice. I mean, not that I'm watching what you eat or anything. Uh, so lunch?"

Regina stared into Emma's earnest eyes and nodded stiffly. "Very well. But I have only a half an hour."

"And then mayoring calls. I get it. I should only take a few minutes for lunch, too. I have to talk to David about catching some dogs."

"Dogs?"

"Don't you know? They're holding up small businesses all over this neighborhood." Emma ignored the hostile look this earned her from Clark and gestured for Regina to step outside in front of her. "What brings you to the pharmacy anyway?"

"Picking up a prescription."

"Anything good? Or are the drugs for Henry to sell during lunch."

"Norinyl."

Emma looked puzzled for a moment, but she smiled through her confusion. "So… it is for Henry to sell."

"Birth control, Ms. Swan." Regina wasn't sure why her cheeks heated at the admission.

"Oh." Emma wasn't sure why her cheeks suddenly flooded. The pills were innocuous, after all. Still, she couldn't stop her thoughts from trickling forward from birth control pills, to preventing pregnancy—and pregnancy resulted from sex—and what would Regina look like—

"Ms. Swan?"

Emma swallowed and banished her inappropriate thoughts. They’d been springing up more often as of late, and she definitely didn’t want anyone to catch onto what she might feel for the mayor. "What?"

"I said you've just walked past Granny's."

Emma came to a halt and spun around. Regina was indeed standing a yard or so back outside the gate leading to the diner. She grinned foolishly and jogged over. Together, they entered the diner and selected a table, but rather than wait for Ruby, Emma volunteered to put their orders in at the register. With a small wink, she assured Regina she already knew what Regina wanted to eat.

Regina watched Emma lean against the counter, chatting with Ruby and grinning up a storm. There was an unsettled feeling brewing in her stomach at the sight of the blonde woman so happy. No—it wasn’t the happiness that was disturbing. It was that someone else was responsible for Emma’s smile. She scowled and fiddled with the napkin dispenser to distract herself. Emma was buying her lunch, and honestly, she had no reason to feel jealous of Emma's easy rapport with the other brunette—and really no right. It wasn't as if she owned the blonde, anyway. She banished the tantalizing image of possessing Emma in favor of pulling out a compact and checking her makeup.

When Emma returned to their table, she adopted a haughty expression with her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. She lifted one eyebrow to punctuate her question.

"Are you normally this inefficient?"

Emma shrugged. "Ruby was telling me about this new guy she's seeing. He's pretty into her wolf thing. She's worried that makes him weird."

"That's not what the conversation looked like," Regina replied, aware that her cheeks were heating. "Besides, I have too much to do to sit around while you—flirt with the waitress."

"I wasn't flirting." Emma kept her tone dispassionate as she took a seat. "But seriously, do you think that makes him weird? I told her no, but I dunno."

Regina took a moment to deliberate and then finally gave the slightest shake of her head. "We all have something similar to hide, and, I suppose, we should all want someone who does not merely overlook our flaws but appreciates them."

"You don't want that?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you totally couched it in vague words. Why don't you want that?"

"Leave it alone, Ms. Swan."

Emma grumbled and set her elbows on the table. As she walked up, Ruby chuckled at the odd pair seated by the window. She had noticed the dirty looks Regina kept sending her and had a pretty good idea what was causing them because she'd also seen the way Regina stared at Emma when she thought herself to be completely unobserved. She interrupted their conversation with their plates and tweaked Emma's pouting cheeks. Emma removed her elbows only when Ruby pushed a plate against them. Her pout, however, remained.

"Hey, babe, what's with the face?"

Emma pushed her hand away. "There's nothing wrong with my face."

"You're rivaling me in my wolf form when I'm begging Granny for scraps. It's kinda cute, in a sad way," Ruby teased. She set her hand on Emma's forearm.

"Oh, very funny.”

"I'll take mine to go, actually." Regina grabbed her purse, but Emma nearly lunged across the table to stop her from leaving.

"Stay, please. Ruby, uh, this is kind of a private luncheon between the mayor and the sheriff, so if we could, y'know, get to it?"

Ruby snorted, but walked away with an agreeable sort of expression on her lips. She pulled a rag from her back pocket and rubbed the counters down with her ears pricked in Emma and Regina's direction. Her ploy had worked. Regina was jealous, without a doubt. What she was going to do with this knowledge, Ruby didn't know just yet.

She could tell Emma, she considered. But the blonde already looked enraptured. She didn't want to make it too easy on Emma. If she knew Emma wasn't interested, the warning could be used to avoid hostile feelings between them, and then ultimately between Henry and them both as well. Emma's attraction, however, made it too difficult to meddle.

Sighing, she twisted away and rubbed down to the opposite end of the counter. The problem with small towns was that interesting things only rarely occurred—and it was just her luck that this interesting thing was a private matter between the magically gifted mayor and True Love baby sheriff.

Back at the table, Emma cleared her throat and asked, "So, how's the whole mayoring thing going?"

She was awfully proud of herself. She had been afraid that she'd sound totally inept, but that question was pretty par for her course. She eased a fry into her mouth and munched, waiting for Regina's response. Regina dug her fork into her salad, inspected the leafy lettuce, and then placed the bite daintily between her teeth. Emma watched all of this, unaware of how much she was staring.

"As per usual," Regina finally responded. She dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "This town will always have its problems, and I'm supposed to be happy to sort through them."

"Well aren't you?"

"It certainly is better than other careers I could have chosen."

Emma watched another few bites disappear into Regina's mouth before eating another fry herself. She wasn't particularly hungry, but this was time she got to spend in Regina's soothing presence, so she wasn't about to miss it. After having such a restful night, she no longer wanted to just collapse in Regina's arms—well, she amended, that wasn't exactly what she wanted from the start, but it did sound awfully cozy.

"Think you’ll want to be mayor until you retire? There's no other job you'd want to try?"

Regina frowned. These questions were getting awfully personal. It was as if Emma wanted to be friends; that idea made her uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat and stared out the window for a long moment before answering.

"I wouldn't mind working with horses." She hadn't intended to be so truthful, but something about Emma made her tongue loose. She turned her attention quickly back to her meal, so she didn't have to see Emma's reaction to her admission. The blonde was quiet for a few seconds but, sensing Regina's discomfort, moved the conversation in a different direction.

From the corner of her eye, Regina watched Emma eat. She was used to thinking of the blonde as a savage lacking in most forms of polite mannerism, but Emma was proving to be quite the neat eater that day. She wasn't even licking her fingers, Regina noted. She was a bit disappointed. Part of the reason she found Emma so interesting was the woman's childlike demeanor in certain aspects of her life. Regina took another bite, noticing just how closely Emma was watching her eat as well. Emma had no subtlety, however.

Mostly because it felt polite, Regina asked, "And you? If you weren't sheriff, what would you want to do?"

Emma stopped eating for a moment and shrugged. "I dunno. I don't have a really diverse skill set. Maybe you coulda guessed that."

"Don't sell yourself short." Regina snorted. "You're a wonderful insomniac, if nothing else."

"Show me how to market that, and I'm so there." Emma sighed. "But seriously, thanks for helping me get some sleep. You have no idea how much easier it is to sheriff today."

"I can guess."

"Did you know that Tom Clark thinks dogs are ganging up on him?"

"Are they?"

"What kind of question is that?" Emma laughed but stopped when noted Regina's serious expression. "A real one?"

"There are times when I curse not apportioning funds to police officer training."

Emma sighed. "Excuse me for being raised in a world where dogs don't conspire together to steal bags of money from the local pharmacy."

"Bags of money?"

"That's what he says. One dog distracts him while the other loots the till."

Regina finished her salad and stood. "I need to get back to town hall. You'll have to fill me on the simply thrilling details later."

Emma leapt up after her. "Does that mean I can see you later?"

Regina stared at Emma's excited expression, and her resolve weakened. Rather than push Emma fully away, for both of their own goods, she relented. It didn't mean they would sleep together, Regina thought. Just that Emma was allowed to come by later.

"Henry and I will be having dinner at five thirty sharp."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Take it as you will."

Emma wanted to sprint off after Regina, but she realized the effort would be wasted. Regina had things to do and didn't need a blonde shadow clinging to her. For all Emma was starting to accept her connection to the brunette, she didn't think Regina was nearly as willing as she was to admit that there was something brewing between them.

She wandered up to the counter and leaned against it until Ruby finished the task of swabbing down the espresso machine. When she had the brunette's attention, she sighed loudly. Ruby laughed, threw a white towel over one shoulder, and gestured for Emma to follow her as she cleaned some tables after the lunch rush.

"That looked cozy over there."

"Did it? Did people see? What did they-"

"Emma, calm down. People saw, but it was just the mayor and the sheriff having lunch. The only remarkable thing was how calm you both were." Ruby cleared the dishes off the first table and wiped it down. "Honestly? It looked like you two were kinda getting along, and that's more of a relief than anything else. You two are like the Batman and Superman of this town. One sorta feared but still respected, the other like a beacon of light in the darkness. We'd much rather see you work together than fight each other."

"I'm Batman, right?"

"Oh, haha."

"Man, but this makes Regina both Batman and Kryptonite."

Ruby fixed her with a stern look. "So, you're admitting it?"

"Admitting what?" Emma folded her arms over her chest. "That Regina has this magical power to just like tear down my defenses? News flash, she does that to everyone."

"Yeah, but you're the only one who likes it." Ruby carted her load to the next table and gave it similar service. "I'm just surprised that you're open about your little crush."

"It's not a crush," Emma huffed. "I don't know what you're talking about. My arrangement with Regina is just so that I can sleep. Nothing more than that."

"Oh." Ruby flicked her towel at Emma's side. "Tell that to the love-sick puppy dog expression you wear when she walks away from you."

"You're the only one here with a puppy dog expression." Emma felt the will to fight fleeing her. Maybe discussing the whole thing with Ruby would clarify her horribly tangled emotions. "But do I really look like I like her?"

"Honestly? You look like you love her."

Emma's mouth suddenly felt much too dry. "That's just—I don't—"

"I'm just telling you what I see."

"I have to get back to work." Emma pulled out Regina's excuse when her brain failed at fumbling through putting its own words together in a cohesive sentence. "I'll catch you later, okay?"

Ruby sighed. "Emma…"

"This doesn't have anything to do with what we're talking about. Totally serious here. One hundred percent."

Emma walked calmly to the door and then practically sprinted back to the sheriff station. Ruby had to be wrong. There was no way she felt anything stronger for Regina than mere appreciation—so, she liked the other woman's body and had drooled a bit over the idea of Regina topless—that didn't have to mean anything at all. Regina was doing her a favor. Any residual affection was just gratitude, she convinced herself.

0-0-0

As dinner time rolled around, Regina tried her best to pretend that nothing was out of the ordinary. She hadn't invited Henry's other mother around for the meal, and she wasn't uncharacteristically excited by the idea. She set her mouth in a grim line and went about business as usual—until the doorbell rang, of course, and then her lips dared quirk up into the smallest of smiles.

"Are you okay?" Henry stared at her, aghast.

"I'm fine. Will you go see who's at the door?"

"I guess…" He dragged his heels. "Do we really have to have green beans?"

"I've nearly finished making them," she replied, not bothering to glance up. She already knew he was pouting. "So, yes. And you will eat your portion, or there will be no dessert."

The doorbell rang again, and Henry sighed. He sulked down the hallway with his hands jammed into his pockets. She was supposed to be more lenient now. He'd heard around town that Emma and she had been getting rather close, at least according to the gossip at the diner. Emma should mellow her out, but instead, she was just as prickly and motherly as before. He shouldn't complain, especially after everything his mother had done to get him home to Storybrooke safely, but he just wanted a night of pizza and movies and soda and putting his feet on the coffee table—

"Emma?"

"Gonna let me in, kid?" She grinned at him, her earlier confidence returning. She was going to prove to herself just how wrong Ruby was. She was going to march into the dining room, have a pleasant meal with a woman who now tolerated her, and then she was going to go home—at which point, she firmly instructed herself, she was going to sleep alone.


	6. Chapter 6

Henry gladly stepped aside and then latched himself to Emma's waist in a tight hug as soon as she was within the confines of the hallway. She slapped his back a few times for good measure, a little uncomfortable still with such freely given affection but grateful nonetheless. He was a good kid, and much of that had to do with Regina's raising of him.

"Please tell me you hate green beans."

She ruffled his hair and laughed as he pawed the wayward locks back into place. His minute scowl was an almost perfect replica of Regina's. Emma's mirth petered off as she realized that she really did like Regina's scowl and that already things were not going according to plan. It was too late to abort, so she shrugged.

"I'm ambivalent toward green beans. Why?"

"Mom made them." His lip curled back in distaste. "They're gross. You should convince her that I need a dog, so I have somewhere to put them."

"Try your mouth," Emma suggested.

He rolled his eyes. "Somewhere less likely to make me vomit."

"Green beans are good for you."

"Arguably so is acupuncture, but there's no way I want a million needles poking me." He lifted his eyebrows. "And the flu shot. It just makes me get the flu every year."

"I get the point." Emma looked beyond him and tucked her hands into her back pockets. "What else is she cooking up back there?"

"Other than the ‘I'm-going-to-be-green-and-then-puke beans?’" He smirked, proud of his cleverness. "She's making sweet potato fries and turkey burgers."

"She just has to make everything less fun, huh?"

"I heard that," Regina stated. She crossed to the hallway, one hand brandishing a spatula. "Do you want to eat tonight, Ms. Swan? Or will you be leaving?"

"She's the most fun," Emma immediately rescinded. "So, stop trying to convince me otherwise, Henry."

Affronted that his blonde mother would throw him under the bus, Henry crossed his arms and frowned. "You started it."

"Nope."

Emma patted his head and strode to the kitchen, to smell the food, not because she wanted to be near Regina. She did not linger a moment as she walked past the other woman, and she certainly did not take a slow subtle sniff to determine which perfume Regina was wearing. It was definitely not a light flowery scent.

"You may set the table," Regina said, catching Emma off-guard.

Emma, who had been too distracted by Regina's scent, gave Regina an embarrassed smile. "Oh, sure. Sounds good."

She crossed to the cabinet and rooted around. From Regina's silence, she determined that she was in the right location. When she turned back toward the table with her arms full of plates, she watched Regina's gaze travel back up her body. Pretending not to notice, she hurried to finish her small chore. Although she wasn't sure what to make of Regina's heated gaze, or the shivers it sent down her spine, Emma did her best to ignore the situation entirely.

A problem was only problematic if she focused her attention on it. So, rather than delve into how she secretly wanted to know how it felt to have Regina's lips on her own, she whistled as she set plates out and then hummed as she folded napkins. When she finished, Regina's attention was solely on the oven, and Emma fought the wave of disappointment that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Ah, yes." Henry entered the room and pumped his fist. "I totally called it."

"What?" Emma placed her hands on her hips and lifted her eyebrows.

"If I skipped out, I wouldn't have to set the table."

"You'll clear it when we're done," Regina instructed, and his smile died. “Go on. Sit down.”

Henry groused quietly as he sat, while Emma slouched into a chair across from him. Regina took her place at the head of the table and gazed at the two persons seated opposite one another: Henry on her right, Emma her left. She favored Henry with a loving smile and Emma a more hesitant half-crooking of her lips. The blonde grinned wryly back at her, and she found her expression becoming more natural as each second ticked past; to avoid looking too pleased, she turned her attention to the sweet potato fries.

"How many do you want?"

Emma shrugged. "I dunno. Never had any before. They good?"

"They're okay…" Henry grimaced. "But they're actually almost healthy, so not that good."

Regina shot him a terse look. "Being healthy is not synonymous with bad, Henry."

He moved a few fries around his plate with one finger and pouted. "But they're not even that salty…"

"Everything in moderation."

Emma agreed with that expression in most cases, but when she looked at Regina's face, she had a sinking feeling in her gut that there would be no getting enough of that particular weakness of hers. She could look at Regina's face all day, and there would still be wonder to behold. She dragged her eyes to the dark orange fries on her plate. Screwing up her courage, she placed one into her mouth. She chewed slowly, swallowed, and realized that Regina was watching her closely.

"Well?"

"They're great," Emma enthused. They weren't great, but the look of absolute pleasure that flickered across Regina's face was worth the small white lie. They were good, but she was with Henry. Real fries just couldn't be beat.

"I worry—that you'll collapse on duty," Regina claimed. She hoped that Emma didn't catch her near slip. "If you have any grounds to sue the city—"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Emma assured her. "All injuries tend to be self-inflicted. I'm nowhere near on Hook's level, but my love of the floor is something I seem to express every few weeks or so."

Henry couldn't quite put his finger on what was going on between his mothers. Regina would say something sassy, and Emma would flush and fire something equally charming back. This was not normal behavior. He was used to the ceasefire between them, but to actually look like they were getting along properly? It was baffling. And he wasn't even needed as a buffer their interaction. Instead, they seemed content to socialize with each other.

Feeling awfully left out, he cleared his throat. "I got an A on my last paper, Emma. The one on my hero? You remember, right? I interviewed you."

Her nose wrinkled, but she grinned at him. "I still say I'm a little too obvious a choice. You shoulda gone with my suggestion."

Regina cocked her head thoughtfully to the side. "You had an alternate suggestion?"

"Yeah," Emma responded, her eyes falling back on Regina. "I mean, you did do most of the work in Neverland. At the very least we were equally heroic, right? Maybe even you more than me because nobody expected it of you."

Henry pushed his beans around his plate. "I know, but I figured that I ought to use you. You're the Savior. It's, like, your job title. You could put it on business cards."

"I'm not the Savior, kid." When he looked ready to argue, she lifted her hand to halt him. "Those titles of yours, they're part of a story, right? But people aren't just one thing. I can be pretty savior-y when I put my mind to it, but I'm also a coward. And your mom? She's not the Evil Queen."

"I know.”

"We're people, Henry," Emma finished. "So, yeah, maybe I had to be the Savior for a little while, but that's not like a permanent state of being. I can be just Emma, can't I?"

Regina answered before Henry could. "Yes."

Emma's cheeks flooded with color. She shoveled more food into her mouth to keep from saying something stupid and let Henry take over. He spewed a few halfhearted apologies before guiding the conversation to his next project, which he deemed to be too difficult.

"It's just an art project. C'mon, kid. Surely you inherited my artistic ability."

"I didn't know you had any." He gazed suspiciously at her. "Are you kidding?"

"No. Get me a piece of printer paper. I'll show you."

He leaped up from his seat, not bothering with the formality of asking to be excused, and darted down the hall. Emma wished she had a collar she could tug at, as now Regina was watching her closely, and she felt the pressure of the brunette's gaze. She settled for stealing a few green beans from Henry's plate. At Regina's disapproving sigh, Emma grinned.

"Cut him a break. We all have least favorite veggies, right? I hate asparagus."

"Brussels sprouts."

"See?"

"The problem, Ms. Swan, is that Henry has ten different least favorite vegetables. I have yet to find one he does enjoy."

"Have you ever given him artichoke?"

"I have not." Regina picked her fork up and set it neatly down beside her spoon. She arranged them, rearranged them, and then tucked her hands under the table to keep from fidgeting. "I have never had artichoke, either."

"We'll have to try it. I think you'll like it. The heart is the best part."

Regina did her best not to flush at the wicked smirk Emma sent her. She listened for the tell-tale clatter of Henry returning and then cocked a haughty eyebrow. "I hope you have the skill to back up your claim."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I have a lot of skills."

Their eyes met and Regina felt a rush of warmth flood her belly. The words were innocuous, but somehow, her body chose to interpret them as provocative, and not even the thought of Henry returning could extinguish the sudden desire that thrummed through her.

Henry thundered back down the hallway, skidded across the hardwood floor on his socked heels, and slapped a paper and pencil in front of her. He took his seat once more, but his meal was totally forgotten in his enthusiasm about Emma's unknown skill. In order to properly perform, Emma sucked her lower lip between her teeth, gnawed on it, and then began to draw thin lines. Henry watched the speed of her pencil with amazement glinting in his eyes.

"What are you drawing?"

"It's a surprise," she responded, her gaze not leaving the paper, except once to gauge Regina's expression. She then focused back in and continued sketching. Five minutes later, she slid a cartoon version of Regina across the table and into Henry's waiting hands. "Voila."

"This is actually kinda good."

"Oh, thanks." She rolled her eyes. "I told you. I have some artistic ability. Never took any classes, though, and you can't really turn this into a job, y'know?"

Regina peered at the accurate, if stylized, depiction of herself. "Is this perhaps the answer to my question at lunch?"

Emma shrugged and rubbed the back of her neck. "How would you turn sketching dumb little cartoons into a money making enterprise? Nah, I developed the skill after years of nearly daily detention. It was just a way to pass the time, and I think that's how it ought to stay."

"So, what is your answer?"

"I'd hoped you would have forgotten the conversation…"

"Certainly not."

"Okay." Emma drummed the pencil against the table. "My answer is, and this is totally hypothetical and could never actually happen—"

"Get on with it," Henry groaned.

"If I'd had the time when I was younger, I would have wanted to take karate lessons. I always wanted to be a ninja."

Whatever it was Regina was expecting, it certainly was not such an honest and childish response. The warmth in her stomach spread up into her chest, and she couldn't keep her fondness for the blonde goofball from her smile.

"So, you're totally going to do my project for me, right?" Regina coughed loudly and with purpose. Henry's eyes darted toward her, and he sighed. "You'll help me complete the project on my own, right?"

"Whatever I can do to help, kid."

Regina dug into her meal. This was almost a family dinner… Emma could be part of her family. She didn't want to think about things that way, but there it was. Not only was it a possibility, but it was one of which Regina found herself growing fonder. She wouldn't mind eating dinner with Emma at her side, and she imagined they might retire after the meal for a glass of cider and some light conversation.

It would be a topical discussion at first, of safe issues, such as the weather and Henry's school work. Emma would respond in her unique combination of not wanting to step on toes but really wanting her point to be heard. Regina would laugh lightly, in genuine good humor, and then perhaps, after a few glasses of alcohol, they might discuss spending more time with one another. Regina's grip on her fork tightened.

She was lonely, and she could easily admit that. Henry was fine company when he was home from school, but he did little to alleviate the near total isolation from most of the town. They came to her office and complained, but it was clear that the townsfolk either feared her or put her on a pedestal. She had so few people who treated her as an equal that it didn't bother her that Emma was only there to solve her sleeping problem. The blonde woman let her be Regina, and that was good enough.

Feeling guilty for even thinking it, Regina wished that Emma's sleeping problem never dissipated. She hoped that day after day, Emma was forced to her doorstep for relief.

Henry cleared the table when they were finished eating, grumbling and groaning every step of the way. Emma knew it wouldn't help if she laughed, but he was purposely acting like a clown and the melodramatic frown was funny. She tittered when he settled his mournful gaze on her.

"Don't laugh at me."

"Then don't look so silly."

The frown intensified, but before Emma could heckle him again, Regina cut in. "If you can load the dishwasher, there'll be ice cream in your future."

His forlorn expression vanished, and he sprinted to do the simple chore. Emma sighed and leaned back in her chair. Mothering seemed to come so easily to Regina, but all Emma seemed to do was intensify the situation and not in a positive fashion. She was more likely to tease Henry than to maintain an authoritative position.

"And why, Ms. Swan, do you look so glum?"

"I was just thinking that you're pretty good at all of this… this family stuff."

"I've had years of practice, if you recall."

"Right, right. You soothed every fever, changed every diaper, yadda yadda yadda. I just mean, it comes so easy to you."

"That's not necessarily true." Regina watched Emma's face quirk from downtrodden to slightly hopeful, all with a lifting of the eyes and a creasing of the forehead. "Nobody has all the answers, Ms. Swan, but we do what we think is best. Our choices are not infallible."

"Oh, I know that…" Emma chuckled, but Regina didn't detect any humor in the noise. "Henry got lucky, I think."

"I don't think luck had much to do with it."

"Oh, right. Rumplestiltskin and fate and future-seeing."

Regina nodded. "In the cosmic sense, I suppose we were all lucky. Things have aligned quite nicely, wouldn't you agree?"

Emma met her gaze and smiled. "I'd say so."


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay. The dishwasher is all loaded," Henry reported. He stared expectantly at Regina. "So… ice cream?"

"We just ate."

"So?"

"So, you're going to get a stomachache." She watched him. If it was a staring contest he was after, she'd give it to him, and she'd win. He hadn't had the years of practice she'd had. "Ask me again in half an hour."

He sighed dramatically, lifted his hands in defeat, and slouched away. Emma laughed quietly, glad to see that some part of her had carried through to him. She had been an expert skulk-er in the years of her youth, and his posture mirrored how she used to carry herself.

"Y'know, I don't think I've thanked you recently for letting me a part of his life."

"No thanks are necessary."

Emma met her gaze steadily. "Thank you, Regina."

Shifting uncomfortably, and aware that she was willingly losing a staring contest, Regina transferred her gaze to the far wall. Positive recognition was a foreign concept. Praise for her accomplishments usually ended up delivered to someone else, that or her efforts were largely ignored. To have Emma so openly admit that she had done something good, and that it was appreciated, made Regina want to squirm.

"You're very welcome."

Emma rubbed her stomach and stood. "Well, I know I could probably stay for dessert, but I've taken up enough of your night, wouldn't you say?"

Regina wouldn't say. "You can stay longer, if you'd like."

Emma wanted to, but if she stayed longer she'd never leave. Although that was an incredibly tantalizing prospect, she didn't think Regina would react well to a permanent, uninvited house-guest. She forced a smile onto her lips and shook her head.

"I have some things I need to get done. Important things. But maybe I'll see you again sometime this week?"

Despite her desire for Emma to stay, Regina nodded curtly. "Very well. I'll see you out."

Emma walked as slowly as she could to the front door. "The meal was delicious."

"Thirty years of practice."

"I'm still impressed. I've had nearly thirty years to learn, and I still struggle with anything beyond the microwave or boiling water." Emma slipped her thumbs through her belt loops. "Now that I've completely put you off my ability in the kitchen, if you'd ever want to someday sample my cooking…"

"Are you inviting me to dinner?"

Emma's cheeks reddened, and she hid her embarrassment by leaning down to put her shoes on. "I mean, yeah. If that's not… Well. Okay, so it's a little like – the thing is…"

"Will you poison me?"

"I'm not that bad." Emma stood straight once more. "Anyway, uh, see you around."

Regina lingered in the doorway as Emma hurried down the path. She was going to accept the blonde's invitation but hollering was so uncouth. She'd accept more quietly the next time she came face-to-face with the other woman, which she hoped would be shortly thereafter.

She shut and locked the door. When she turned around, she found Henry sitting on the stairs, his gaze curious.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Did Emma just ask you on a date?"

Dinner and dating were not synonymous. Still, the thought of going on a date with Ms. Swan was awfully tempting. The woman would plausibly clean up well, although she'd never given the topic much thought. A sudden flight of fancy overtook her, and she let herself imagine Emma approaching the door in a form fitting red dress, blonde hair falling in elegant curls over one shoulder. She would be wearing–

"Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

She snapped back to reality, gave him an insincere smile, and responded, "Yes, quite."

0-0-0

Emma took her time walking home. She lifted her face to the dark sky and inhaled the cold air slowly. She enjoyed the smoke-like puff of breath that hung in the air beside her mouth when she exhaled. She hadn't realized that it was getting so cold once again. Her ears were a bit cold, but she didn't let that bother her. She'd just had a wonderful evening, after all, and she hadn't totally botched things.

There was a chance, she thought cheerily, that Regina might invite her over again. Maybe it would become a thing. A Swan-Mills Family dinner at least once a week. They would sit and talk about Henry's school work, or shenanigans in Storybrooke that Emma had to take care of, or Regina's latest mayoral plot. They'd laugh and smile, and things would just feel right all the time. Emma grinned. She'd just have to be on her best behavior.

The trouble was, she wasn't going to feel much like behaving if she couldn't get to sleep that night. She spotted the apartment on the horizon and sighed. Snow was full of 'helpful' ideas, like a glass of warm milk right before bed or a CD of white noise. Nothing helped, Emma had argued, so she wasn't going to try a barrage of useless things that would only annoy her, rather than help her sleep.

Snow had looked so hurt, but Emma knew that her best shot at sleeping, if it didn't occur naturally, was curled up against Regina. The idea still made her uncomfortable; she hated relying on other people because, as experience had taught her over and over again, other people were assholes. They walked away when it was convenient for them and left her sad and alone and wondering what she might have done wrong.

Regina seemed different. Still… she couldn't be entirely sure.

By eleven o'clock, Emma knew she'd made a horrible mistake in turning down Regina's offer to stay longer. She was wide awake, thoroughly exhausted, and frustrated on a number of levels. She rolled onto her back, stared at the ceiling, and hated everything. When she could no longer bear the silence and the dark, she sat up and kicked her legs out of bed. She tip-toed down the hallway to the living room, which unfortunately abutted Snow's sleeping quarters, and settled down onto the couch.

As quietly as she could, she turned on the television, slid a tape in the VCR, and set about watching the corny soap operas that Mary-Margaret used to spend most of her free time watching. The woman had been meticulous in her recording schedule. As a teacher, she'd never been able to watch the daytime shows when they aired, but she'd managed to record each and every episode for later consumption. Emma had originally laughed, but now, after watching a few episodes, she too was curious who Ricardo's mysterious twin brother was.

She got through the episode with the secret marriage of the two youngest characters before a knock at the door startled her. The knock was quiet and nearly imperceptible, but Emma heard it and immediately headed to the door to investigate. It could easily be someone trying to break in, and she was both a resident and the sheriff. The thief might have accidentally tapped the door as he finagled the lock. To protect herself, Emma grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen and approached the door.

Heart thudding madly in her chest and mind racing with soap opera-esque scenarios, she settled her hand on the doorknob. This could be her long lost brother or sister. The town was wonky enough that she might very well have six siblings Snow and David were hiding from her. She braced herself and opened the door.

Regina looked at Emma, looked at the rolling pin, and then looked wholly amused. Emma flushed and hid the makeshift weapon behind her back. Making sure to only talk in the quietest of tones, so as to avoid rousing Snow and creating a very interesting political situation in the doorway, Emma asked Regina what she was doing there.

For a long moment, Regina was silent. She couldn't just say that she was worried that perhaps Emma wouldn't be sleeping very well and might need assistance, or that she was concerned about the blonde in any fashion. She settled for a disinterested sigh.

"I'm here because I assumed you would be unable to sleep. Of course, I would assume that most of your genealogy are incapable of doing the simplest of--"

"Oh thank god." Emma grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. "I'm not above begging."

Regina's mouth went dry at the thought, but she chastised herself; this was not a sexual matter, after all. This was about Emma getting the bare minimum of rest. She shouldn't be picturing the other woman naked, nor should she be imagining Emma in a series of compromising positions. She was glad she didn't blush easily, but her cheeks warmed, and she was sure Emma could feel the heat radiating from her face.

She spotted the television, still playing the soap opera, and knew a good distraction when she saw one. "What's this garbage?" 

"My Restless Heart," Emma responded. In the hopes of looking just a little less lame, she added, "They're Snow's old tapes. They're like the only thing around to watch right now, unless you like infomercials."

"I've never had time for this sort of thing."

Emma watched Regina's eyes flit across the screen. "That's Miguel, Ricardo's mysterious twin brother. Everyone thought he died years ago in a skiing accident, but he showed up three episodes ago."

"Fascinating."

"…Did you want to watch some?"

A short time later, Regina wasn't sure how she ended up on Snow White's couch watching the woman's pre-recorded soap opera tapes, but with Emma's head in her lap, she honestly couldn't come up with a single complaint about her current situation. Well, that was an exaggeration. Snow didn't keep the tidiest of homes – Regina could see fingerprint smudges on the glass surfaces and dust bunnies in the corner. The other brunette was all about creating a safe, warm, positive, ooey-gooey environment—but Regina wanted to tell her that it was breeding disease, not good feelings.

Yet, she could do no more than run her fingers through Emma's hair as she watched the horribly produced television show that Emma seemed so enraptured by. She could, of course, predict the oh-so-surprising twists and turns of the plot, but the blonde delighted in each unforeseen change. The woman was somewhat akin to a small child. If she stopped to think things through, Emma would most likely be able to guess the plot as well, but Emma was more concerned with staying in the moment and taking things as they happened.

It was better that way, Regina decided. Obviously, Emma enjoyed the show more than she ever would, and it was likely due to their disparate manners of viewing the same content. Regina sometimes wished she could turn the tactical portion of her brain off, but she'd been trained too long to be a strategist. If she couldn't predict how the enemy was going to move, she couldn't plan her strikes. Now, it made watching television and movies a bore.

"Are you bored?" Emma's head twisted up to get a better look at Regina. "You stopped… Nevermind."

Regina realized that while she was thinking, she'd set her palm on her lap. Emma had not only noticed her petting but didn't want it to stop. She frowned.

"No, I'm not bored," Regina returned. "This is truly – thought provoking."

"We can turn it off."

Regina forced her hand back to Emma's head and resumed running her hands through the blonde's hair. Emma settled back against her, and she stared at the television once more. "So that's Ricardo?"

"Miguel. Ricardo's brother," Emma murmured. She was getting rather sleepy, but she was also keenly aware how close to the apex of Regina's thighs her head was. Her heart was hammering too quickly to let her rest, but she was able to concentrate on the television, just barely. If she moved just a bit, she could have her way with the older woman.

"And why is he kissing that woman?"

"He's convinced her that her husband perished at sea."

"But he didn't?"

"No."

"So, where is he?"

"He lost his memory."

"I can see why Snow enjoys this story."

Emma chuckled and closed her eyes. Regina's lap was entirely too comfortable. The soap opera blared along, but she stopped paying attention to that as Regina's scent overwhelmed her. She twisted her head to get a stronger whiff. Rather than push her away, Regina pulled her closer. Without a word, she nested her nose between Regina's thighs.

"Ms. Swan."

Emma hummed her approval. "Hm?"

"Shall we move to the bedroom?"

Emma's eyes opened, and she was forced to realize that she had fallen asleep on Regina's lap and hadn't actually moved. She struggled to sit up. "You're staying the night?"

"Until you fall asleep."

"Oh."

"Come along."

Regina grabbed Emma's upper arm and helped the blonde to her feet. The faster she could get Emma to sleep, the sooner she could return home to Henry. She was going to leave as soon as she could, but one look at Emma quite nearly changed her mind.


	8. Chapter 8

Emma leaned heavily against her as they moved toward the stairs. She could have walked on her own, but this was an excellent excuse to connect their bodies as much as possible. She felt a little juvenile, but she was just tired enough to not care. Regina was willingly heading to her bedroom, her tired brain cheered. She wasn't sure why this was such a victory, but it felt nice not having to ask for something she really wanted. Regina was just going to give it to her. It felt like Christmas and her birthday had come early.

She managed to get up the stairs without opening her mouth and potentially embarrassing herself. She certainly had no interest in explaining the somewhat inappropriate dream she had been having on the couch. When they reached her bedroom door, Emma's mouth opened without her say so.

"You're really pretty."

Regina stopped short and stared at her. "I was under the impression you were tired, not drunk."

Emma flushed. "I can compliment you, can't I? Without being drunk, I mean. And yeah, I'm tired. So what?"

"You're barely making any sense." Regina tried to ignore Emma's words; the blonde was clearly unaware of what she was saying. Any kindness from Emma's lips right now was to be taken with a grain of salt. If she could manage the same statement while wide awake and sober, Regina might believe her. In Emma's current state, gratitude could be overpowering common sense or reality.

"I'm serious."

"As am I." Regina guided Emma to bed. "Now lie down."

Emma complied and then waited expectantly for Regina to settle in beside her. Throwing caution to the wind, she bypassed using her pillow and settled directly against Regina's chest. Well, Regina thought, extricating herself later would certainly be a challenge.

Regina knew she shouldn't be pleased by how close Emma snuggled to her. The blonde was latched tightly to her, as if she were an oversized teddy bear and Emma a small child. What surprised her was how adorable the blonde was in sleep. Their first afternoon together, she'd been too embarrassed by the situation to really take everything in. Now, she was used to how things were, giving her the time to scan every inch of Emma's relaxed face, from the slightly slack jaw to the soft whuff of Emma's breath. Regina's fingers tightened on Emma's midriff.

She fought the urge to bend her neck and kiss the top of Emma's head. Her responsibility was to lull Emma to sleep, not to act like she was the blonde's partner. The concept was utterly ridiculous, and the growing urge was to be suppressed at all costs. Instead, she compromised with herself and allowed her fingers to rub small circles along Emma's shirt-covered stomach. This was safe and not unreasonable. If Emma awoke, she would have nothing to complain about. Regina nestled down against the pillow. Emma's bed was comfortable—not as good as her own bed but still useable—and she was on the border of falling asleep.

That couldn't happen, she reminded herself. Henry may have been old enough to take care of himself for one evening and morning—and he often did babysit himself when Ruby was busy—but she wasn't ready to think about how independent he was. She needed to be home when he woke up, otherwise he might not eat a healthy breakfast or make it to school on time. He was a young man, but he was still a boy. He was her little boy. Hers and Emma's, she amended. She gave in and kissed the blonde's head.

"When I saw you standing on my walk, looking unsure of yourself but determined, with Henry by your side, I knew then. I knew you'd be a pain in my side, but I didn't know how attractive that particular attribute would be," Regina whispered. She ran lifted her hand to trail her fingers along Emma's jaw. "I must be tired if I'm admitting any of this. Even if you are asleep.

"The fact remains that you are a challenge, in everything you do. You don't expect anything from me but myself. You never knew me as the Queen, and so, you still do not see me as such. You know what I've done, but it's distant. You've heard the history, but it is all just stories to you. Bedtime stories to scare children into behaving.

"I am torn now between making you realize how awful I was… how awful I am… and just letting your rely so heavily on me. I told Henry the edited version of my story when he was very small, but you'd see through that bias. You see through me on a daily basis, after all, with no more effort than if you were reading my motivations in a book.

"Is it selfish of me to wish you to remain ignorant?"

Emma murmured nonsensically in her sleep. Her lips brushed Regina's collarbone, and Regina fought a pleased shiver. To maintain control, Regina tried to shift away, but Emma cuddled closer. Realizing this was a losing battle, Regina sighed and allowed the sleepy affection. Nobody could see, and so, there was no harm in snuggling. She was the only witness, and she would deny it to anyone who dared question her.

She hated just how much she liked this. There were times in Henry's childhood during sickness or fear when he would crawl into her bed, tremble in her arms, and she would feel like she was doing something completely right. This with Emma felt the same way. She had done so much wrong, but with Emma so close against her, she got the feeling that she had a second, or third, or fourth chance to set herself right.

"Emma?"

Regina froze, her arms wrapped conspicuously around Emma. The door swung open, and her heart clenched in her chest. Snow paused when their eyes met, and Regina's tongue felt too thick for her mouth. For the first time in her life, she didn't have a scathing comment for Snow White ready. She barely had an excuse for what she was doing in Emma's bed, let alone why she was cuddling the woman closer than was necessary.

"Regina?" Snow frowned. "I heard voices, but I wasn't expecting… are you… is she… Regina?"

"Didn't mother ever teach you that a gaping mouth attracts flies?" Regina finally got out. She tried to unwrap her arms, but Emma just grumbled and clung to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Making sure Storybrooke's sheriff is capable of doing her job," Regina snapped. "Which is apparently more than you can do."

That slur seemed to cut Snow particularly deeply. She frowned and shook her head. "You've probably cursed her."

"Because this looks so much like something I actually want to do."

"…It does," Snow responded slowly, her eyes taking in the full picture of the pair curled up together. It looked rather cozy, and Regina looked rather like David did when her head was pressed against his chest. She'd woken many mornings to that same look of fond contentment in his eyes, no matter how hard Regina tried to hide it behind her sharp words.

Regina struggled to free herself from Emma, no longer caring if the woman woke up. This aggravation made the whole situation too much of a hassle. If Emma was desperate enough, she could seek Regina out at home.

"Mm, Regina, please."

Regina held perfectly still as Emma's hands trawled along her abdomen. She avoided eye contact with Snow and wished she hadn't come over. No amount of comfort in Emma's presence was worth this mortification.

"I'll… just…" Snow stepped back toward the hallway. "Leave you to it?"

"Good. This is none of your business." Regina realized that her new hold on Emma was possessive in nature, but she made no move to change it. Movement would only draw Snow's attention, so it was best to remain still. She glared the other woman down. "Well?"

"It sort of is my business," Snow tried. "She's my daughter."

"She's nobody's daughter. You made sure of that when you stuck her in that dresser."

Snow flushed. "You forced my hand."

"You always had a choice. You gave her away to save your kingdom. How utilitarian of you: one life to save thousands. It must have been so hard on you." The taunting in Regina's voice was due mostly to the late hour and the compromising situation. She would have been snide but not nearly as biting if this exchange occurred at noon, or in public. "In the meantime, Emma has made it clear that while she's giving you a chance, you have no claim on her."

"And you do?"

Regina gestured to how tightly Emma was holding her. "I think that much is obvious."

The conversation was ultimately worth it, Regina found, as Snow's face blanched whiter than usual. "That doesn't mean anything."

"She comes to me when she needs to sleep," Regina stated. She could be crueler, but the facts needed no embellishment. "She tried you, and you failed. I'm what she needs, and I'm who she wants."

So, she embellished a bit, she conceded. Snow, however, didn't know that and looked positively crushed. "She wants you?"

Regina's smirk intensified. "We're willingly in the same bed, are we not? You don't know what we were doing before you arrived."

"Oh! You can't—"

"I can, and I did."

When the door clicked shut, Emma's head bobbed up from Regina's chest. She stared around the dark room blearily before settling her nearly shut eyes on Regina's face. The brunette did her best to appear impassive, but Emma read her expression fairly easily.

"Were you harassing Snow?"

Regina scowled. "No, of course not. Do you see her around here somewhere?"

Emma didn't bother checking the room. She lifted an eyebrow. "Do you really have to antagonize her?"

"You say it as if you believe me to be an addict. I can stop whenever I want."

"I'd like to see that." Emma's face lit up in a tired grin. She settled back down, her fingers slipping beneath the hem of Regina's shirt and grazing the sensitive skin of Regina's hips and lower back. She was strangely proud of the sudden hitch in Regina's breath. "Do you really have to go?"

"I can't leave Henry."

"I know," Emma replied, although her mouth was mashed against Regina's collarbone and her words slurred. "But you're so perfect."

"What?"

"Mm."

Regina wanted to shake her awake again; she needed clarification of Emma's statement. Had she misheard? Or, she wondered, was Emma serious? She tried to maintain control over her emotions, as she'd already determined that compliments from an exhausted Emma weren't worth nearly as much as they would be if the blonde were fully awake. Still… perfect was far beyond being sufficient. Regina had never been perfect in anyone's eyes, at anything.

She closed her eyes for a moment and then tickled Emma back toward wakefulness. "If I were to move us to my home, would you be opposed?"

"Why?"

"We could remain together…" Regina hated how tentative her voice was. She was sure and confident, she encouraged herself. "It would be best, as you would sleep and be prepared to protect the city, and I would be home for Henry."

Emma had been dreaming.

She was in the middle of a field, naked and unarmed. The knowledge that this was a dream did little to quell the churning in her stomach or the fear that bubbled up on spotting the hordes of townspeople galloping toward her. Their voices were a cacophony that drowned everything else out. Their demands pressed down on her, and she felt small, compressed by her responsibilities to make things right for them.

One voice cut through the rest, perfectly clear. "You will be fine, dear. You are doing fine."

She lifted her head from her hands and met Regina's clear gaze. Regina, too, was naked but appeared entirely unconcerned. The brunette knelt next to her and clasped her hands. Emma shivered as a breeze whipped past, but the warmth of their joint grip staved off most of the cold. She met Regina's gaze, and her breath caught in her throat.

"Why are you helping me?"

Regina moved closer, her lips ghosting over Emma's. "Even the Savior needs saving."

Emma pushed forward, enticed by the brilliant red of Regina's lips. Her hands cupped Regina's jawline, and she deepened the kiss, blissfully uncaring about the townspeople shrieking around them. In that moment, everything went silent, and everyone else drained away. She was with Regina and that was all that mattered.

Then, she had woken suddenly and found herself pressed entirely too close to her bedfellow. During their conversation, all she could think about was that dream, how wrong it was, and how right it was. At Regina's invitation, her cheeks flared with color. She wondered if it were possible that Regina knew what she was thinking about but dismissed the thought. Regina was powerful, yes, but there was no evidence that she was omniscient.

"I'm okay with that," Emma replied. She kept her tone calm and even and congratulated herself internally for keeping her cool.


	9. Chapter 9

Regina chose not to notice the flush to Emma's cheeks or the warmth clinging to Emma's skin. She couldn't ignore, however, the very pushy thud of Emma's heart, which stated quite clearly that something had excited the blonde. She didn't care to consider what that might be, so she merely gripped Emma securely, thought about her home, and waited for the swirl of purple smoke to envelop them. She was mildly surprised when the smoke was less of a deep, royal purple and more of a lavender, but as they ended up in her bed, she couldn't complain.

Emma wasn't quite used to the mode of transportation. Her fingers dug into Regina's sides, and a quiet gasp trembled through her lips. She blinked through the stark darkness of Regina's bedroom, relaxed against Regina once more, and sighed.

"Y'know, I knew it was going to happen, but you just don't get used to magic transportation. Did I ever tell you what it felt like to go through the hat portal?"

"I'm sure you're going to inform me now."

"Like being a square peg being forced through a round hole." Emma considered further and amended, "Like being the last bit of toothpaste in the tube of a desperate dental hygienist."

"And my mode of transportation?"

"Slightly better," Emma conceded. "Just not what I'm used to. It's quicker, yeah, but I'm more of a Bug type person."

"You prefer scrapes with death every time you go for a trip?"

"Yes." Emma grinned. "What doesn't kill you just makes you stronger, right? So I'm like a titan now."

Regina pulled Emma back down to her chest. "Go to sleep, dear. You're clearly slap-happy."

"Well, I am happy," Emma demurred agreeably. With her nose nestled once more against Regina's skin, she was in no position to argue.

0-0-0

Regina yawned and reached for her blaring alarm. She was usually up a smidgen earlier than the device was scheduled to go off, but she supposed her deep sleep was due entirely to Emma's warm weight atop her. Somehow during the night, Emma had pushed her shirt up over her stomach and had one hand splayed against her skin. She purposely pushed the needy feelings that evoked away and ran a hand through her hair.

"Ms. Swan."

Emma grumbled but pried one eye open. "What?"

"It's time to get up."

"What time is it?"

Regina gestured to her alarm clock. "Five thirty."

"But we barely just went to sleep," Emma complained. "C'mon. Five more minutes."

Regina watched Emma cuddle back up against her and grimaced. She had to shower, wash her hair, shave the necessary areas, dry and style her hair, choose an outfit, prepare Henry's lunch, make Henry breakfast, wake Henry up, gather her belongings for the day –

"Please?" Emma brushed her lips against Regina's collarbone, not really sure of what she was trying to accomplish. "Just five?"

All willpower fled Regina's body. She slumped against the mattress, let Emma take hold of her once more, and stared at the ceiling. Not even Henry had this sort of power over her. It wasn't fair; Emma was an interloper and the child of her sworn enemy. As such, she should have no place in Regina's life, except perhaps as a casualty in her revenge. Instead, Regina was all too content with Emma in her arms.

The worst part was that she knew she couldn't push the blonde away even if she wanted to. There was comfort to be had, comfort she hadn't known since she was a young woman. She still wasn't sure if she deserved anything that Emma had to offer, but she knew all too well that she was too self-interested to let go. If she were looking out for Emma's best interest, she would have pushed the blonde away the moment Emma showed up on her doorstep.

Emma drowsed quietly, perfectly content under Regina's comforter and on top of Regina. It was a nest of warmth, and she was a baby bird, she thought in her half-awake state. Sooner or later, she'd be pushed out onto her own to see if she could fly, but for now, she was safe. Her dreams overnight had been filled with visions of Regina—not always sexual, she was grateful to remember, but many were. Enough, in fact, that as she rested against Regina's body, she began to wonder what actual contact would feel like. She swallowed a little louder than she intended, and Regina stirred.

"Has your request for five more minutes been filled?"

"…No?"

"I've given you seven minutes, Ms. Swan. It's time to start moving."

"Would it be possible to haggle you down?" Emma lifted her eyebrows and smiled playfully. "How much would it take to add three more minutes?"

"More than you have to offer, I'm afraid."

After her dreams, Emma interpreted their banter in a whole new light. Her heart thudded loudly as she countered, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

It was Regina's turn to swallow awkwardly. She was keenly aware of Emma's hand on her stomach, Emma's breath on her throat, and Emma's eyes on her expression. She worked hard to keep a neutral expression as she found the right words.

"I've seen your resume. I'm fairly certain I know the full extent of your capabilities."

"I used to do a number of extracurricular activities, Madam Mayor. I might surprise you."

Determined to change the course of this conversation and make Emma flustered rather than herself, Regina stiffened. "Very well. List what you have to offer, and we'll see."

Emma's grin faltered. "Well…"

"Well?"

"I can draw?"

"Hardly enough to keep me in bed, Ms. Swan."

Emma wanted to profess that she was damn good with her tongue and her fingers, but her nerve failed her. Some hero, she scolded herself… she couldn't even manage the courage to say what she really wanted. Instead, she cowered against Regina and tried to think up a skill that wasn't an exposure of her deepest desire but was enough to keep Regina next to her.

"I'm waiting, Ms. Swan."

"I am excellent at making scrambled eggs."

"I thought you were totally inept in the kitchen."

"For the most part, but when you're hungry and broke, eggs are kinda not the worst thing you could eat day after day, so I got pretty okay at making different styles. If scrambled isn't your style, I could try over easy or-"

"You will make Henry breakfast," Regina cut in. "You've wasted fifteen minutes of my time so far this morning. That's ten minutes more than I was prepared to lose."

"And what about you?"

"Me what?"

"What can I do for you? To make this worth your while?" Emma let her eyes rove Regina's stoic face. There was a flicker of something in Regina's eyes, but it moved too quickly for Emma to properly identify. Her hopeful heart wanted to label it desire, but her realistic mind decided it was agitation. Rather than push her luck, Emma eased back. The moment they were no longer touching, Emma missed the contact and quite nearly fell back down.

With her back turned, she didn't see the momentary regret that opened Regina's mouth or the self-control that withheld a small groan in Regina's throat. She stretched and sighed. "Any chance you can poof me home after breakfast? I don't really want to jog home in a pair of shorts and a tank top."

"You can borrow my clothing if you'd like. And if this is to be a more permanent arrangement, we'll simply remember to bring a set of clothing next time."

Next time, Emma thought. There was going to be a next time.

0-0-0

Regina bent over the counter and slathered a thin layer of peanut butter on a piece of bread. The other piece was already covered in jelly. Over the years, she had spent hours perfecting the right combination. Too much peanut butter and he'd spend the afternoon imitating a dog, his tongue lapping uselessly at the sticky substance and his jaws working overtime. Too much jelly, and he'd spend the rest of the day with sticky fingers. An even balance went unappreciated by Henry, but she was proud of herself.

She could sense Emma nearby, somewhere behind her; she could hear Emma humming, but the noise was quiet, and Regina had to move closer to get a better idea of the tune. Emma turned, smiling, and tilted her head.

"What's up?"

"You're humming."

"Oh, yeah. I forget sometimes. Is it bothering you?"

"Not at all," Regina responded, backing away. "I was merely curious as to its origin."

"You ever hear about how I got the last name Swan?"

"I can't say that I have."

Emma turned back to her current task and poked the frying eggs with a spatula. "The first family I was with, that was their last name. I don't remember much about them, except the woman's face. I spent so much time lying in bed, staring up at her while she sang to me."

"This song?"

"This song. I can't remember the words anymore, but I can't seem to ever forget the tune. I tried pretty hard to after they sent me back into the system, 'cause it was pretty painful, y'know, to constantly be thinking about this song from these people who didn't love me as much as I loved them."

"Is that why you're tentative with Snow?"

Emma lowered the heat on the burner. "I'm not really jumping for joy at the concept of a family in general. They've caused more hurt than good, y'know?"

"Maybe that could change?" Regina snapped her mouth shut and set about furiously making Henry's lunch.

Emma hummed a little louder. Regina's comment did odd things to her stomach, which clenched but not in what she would call a bad way. It was nervous energy and anxiety. She wanted what Regina was offering, but she had no idea how to make it happen. All she could do was pretend nothing was affecting her and stay strong. Nobody wanted a cry baby, she recalled, or a trouble maker. She'd be on her best behavior, and she'd show Regina that having her around was an asset rather than a liability.

"You're sure I can't make you anything?"

"I'm sure." Regina paused and toyed with the knife. "Would you like a sandwich?"

"What?"

"For lunch," Regina continued, her cheeks heating. "So you're not eating garbage."

"I'm not a goat," Emma joked. "I don't eat garbage. I eat nutritionally questionable foods."

"That's putting things lightly. I'll make you a sandwich, and you can choose your own piece of fruit from the fridge."

Seeing no other option and not wanting to displease her gracious host, Emma turned the burner off, plated Henry's breakfast, and went to the icebox. On the middle shelf she found a bowl of apples. Choose a fruit, she thought with a wry grin. What a selection – did she want an apple? Or perhaps an apple? Then again, how about an apple?

As if sensing Emma's mirth, Regina added, "There are grapes in the vegetable drawer."

"Oh, I was content with the super wide collection of apples."

"It's early, Ms. Swan. Save your sass for someone more deserving." Regina smiled to soften the blow of her words. The expression felt odd on her face, and genuine, and Emma stared openly.

"Don't get me wrong, I like your face as it is, but you also look nice when you smile. Different. More… open? Less like you want my mother's head on a stick."

"That's so garish," Regina deadpanned. "I'd prefer a platter."

"So, not to like miss the point entirely or whatever," Emma began. She listened carefully for any sound that Henry was clattering downstairs for his breakfast. The conversation wasn't inappropriate, but it felt to Emma to be awfully intimate in nature. Once she was sure he wasn't nearby, she continued, "but you sorta mentioned maybe I could sleep here again?"

"I suppose if this is indeed the only way you sleep well… We can continue until we find an alternate solution, of course." Regina slipped the sandwich into a plastic baggy and zipped the baggy shut. With that task completed, she dug out two brown paper bags: one for Henry, which she set aside, and one for Emma, into which she slipped the sandwich.

Emma couldn't stop her features from drooping. She was glad her back was to Regina. "Of course."

"You are welcome here any night when sleep evades you."

Emma wanted to interpret that as open invitation; she could imagine spending every spare moment in the manner. Despite her distaste for family life, she wasn't terribly off-put by the idea of hanging out with Henry or helping Regina make dinner. She was incredibly enticed by the prospect of sleeping with Regina whenever the whim struck her. This house was like a paradise of sorts in that it was isolated from the pressures of Storybrooke.

"Thanks. I'll try not to abuse that too much," Emma replied, although that's exactly what she wanted.

"Good," Regina said, although that was the exact opposite of what she wanted.

"I guess I should get going." Emma hesitated in the doorway, her hand still curled around her apple.

Regina approached, brown paper bag between her hands. "Here. One peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ready for consumption."

"Thanks."

Emma lingered, not quite ready to leave. "So if I were to come back tonight…?"

"I would not be opposed," Regina responded. "Now go. Henry will be down shortly and—"

"You don't want to have to explain why I'm here."

"Not at all. I simply know that you two will spend too much time chattering away, and then both of you will be late, which will in turn make me late."

"And we can't have that." Emma grinned, tapped her fingers against the door frame, and strode to the front door. Regina followed behind, ready to lock the door once Emma left. "I know I've been saying this like every few minutes, or whatever, but thank you."

Regina allowed herself a small, pleased smile. "You are quite welcome."

Acting on impulse, Emma leaned in and pressed her lips to Regina's cheek. "I appreciate it a ton. I'm totally ready now to go see if dogs are really conspiring against the pharmacist. Fingers crossed that he's just binging on over-the-counter meds, huh? I don't really want to spend my afternoon playing dog catcher."

Regina locked the door after Emma disappeared down the walk and then leaned heavily against it. Perhaps there was more to Emma’s feelings than she assumed. It seemed that the blonde was fond of her, so maybe Emma had invited her on a date, rather than just a dinner. Regina allowed a seed of hope to plant in her chest. She wouldn't tend to it, she instructed herself, but she would let it blossom if it so chose. It was the first bit of hope she'd felt since Henry was placed into her arms.

"Mom! Where are my pants?"

She shifted off the door and rolled her eyes. "You need to fold your clothing when you remove it, Henry."

"I know, but that doesn't help me now!"

"Check under your bed."

"I already did—Oh! You were right! I'll be down in a second!"

She didn't have time to daydream about the blonde, she chided herself. There were things to do and a household to run.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma jogged down the street, feeling light and bouncy. This day, like the last, had the potential of being a great day. She was rested, she'd kissed Regina (albeit only on the cheek), and she had a sack lunch for later. On top of all of that, Regina had invited her back again. So it wasn't exactly a direct "Emma get in my bed tonight," but Emma wasn't terribly picky. As a child, she'd been a master of wheedling her way from one small request to a larger one. Friends who invited her over to play often hosted her for dinner when she was hungry.

"Sheriff Swan. I expected you here hours ago." Clark stared quite seriously at her.

She returned his gaze but incredulously. "It's eight in the morning, Tom."

"I've had the video ready and waiting-"

"It's eight. All further complaints can be addressed to the mayor's office. She pays me, y'know?"

His brow furrowed. "I'll do that."

"Good. Now where's the video?"

He guided her through the store and to the backroom. There was a small display and a series of towers covered in blinking lights. He seemed hesitant to leave her there alone and warned that this was expensive equipment, but she insisted on working in peace and quiet. Really, she just didn't want him coloring every moment of video with his own commentary. Despite her lack of training, she did take her job fairly seriously.

"Alright, let's see what's going on," she murmured.

She sat, pressed play, and leaned her chin against the back of her wrist. The first few hours, she skipped through in a matter of seconds. At the first sign of canine invasion, she slowed the feed and let it play in real time. The first dog, a Chihuahua, trotted down an aisle, his tail wagging and his mouth open. His tongue lolled out but snapped inside when he found his first victim: a protein bar on the bottom shelf. So far, nothing unusual. Dogs liked food.

She paused the feed two minutes after the first theft. Another dog was loitering near the front desk. He was a mostly white terrier with a few brown spots on his back, a splash of brown on his face, and grey front paws. There was a red bandana tied around his neck and a brown paper bag in his mouth. The way he looked around seemed a bit too human for Emma's comfort. He waited until Clark ran after his Chihuahua friend before bounding up onto the counter.

Although she couldn't see exactly what he did, the cash drawer popped open. He set his bag down, jammed his muzzle in the drawer, and began extracting wads of money. Her jaw dropped; Clark wasn't crazy, which meant she had a long day ahead of her. Pulling out a pad of paper she jotted down a few notes about both dogs on screen. The small Chihuahua had a darker muzzle and feet and a tan body, but his most easily identifiable feature was the patch of orange fur that stuck up at jaunty angles on his head.

She rubbed her temples and groaned. She was going to have to go out there, confirm that she had been wrong in dismissing his concerns, and then make a visit to David at the animal shelter. No doubt he'd be more than willing to don the title of deputy once more, but she wasn't looking forward to working with him. Although he respected her authority, he tended to think and do as he pleased without making mention to her about his plan.

Better to have two plans, he told her, just in case one didn’t work out. As to the secrecy, he merely shrugged. He didn't want to worry her or try to change her mind, he later explained.

Regina wouldn't make things this difficult, she thought as she made her way back to Clark at the front of the shop. Regina would snap her fingers, and the dogs would appear. Emma frowned. Thinking about Regina wasn't getting her job done any faster.

0-0-0

Regina sat at her desk, holding a ballpoint pen but making no motion to use it. There was a form requiring her signature directly in front of her, but her attention was miles away. Her phone rang; she let it go to voicemail.

It shouldn't have been so nice to have Emma's lips on her cheek. The kiss was so domestic and chaste, yet all it did was further enflame Regina's desire for the other woman. It seemed to Regina that if they spent too much more time together, she was going to lose control and ravage the other woman. She was beginning to think, too, that Emma wouldn't mind that in the slightest.

These thoughts were worrisome, however. Regina didn't enjoy trusting others, and although she loved strongly, she was stingy when it came to who she let into her heart. Henry came first, she reminded herself, but apparently Emma came second. Her addiction to Emma wasn't healthy, but she was helpless to stop it. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, she wanted Emma in her bed every night, and preferably some nights would involve no pajamas and less sleep.

Still, the kiss was a thank you. Regina was smart enough to recognize it as such. She didn’t want to take too much stock in it. One kiss didn't automatically mean she could safely assume Emma felt something for her. Her hope was starting to take root, but with it came the same fear that had haunted all her social interactions: if she cared, and Emma left, then she'd be left with nothing all over again.

It was only a matter of time, she knew, until her hope outweighed her fear. For now, though, she could restrain herself. She could sleep next to the blonde and think nothing of it. Well, she could tell herself that. She finally turned her attention to signing her name.

However, there arose a large clatter outside her window, so Regina rose and walked to the sprawling view. This distraction, at the very least, wasn't blonde and lodged in her brain. She stared down at the street and nearly groaned out loud. Emma was face-first on the pavement, a long rod in her hands. The tip of the rod rounded into a loop, and Regina recognized the object as something used in catching dogs. She snorted as Emma lumbered to her feet, but the derision faltered when she spotted a thin line of blood near Emma's temple.

A dozen yards away, a dog sat wagging his tail. If she didn't know any better, Regina would say he was laughing. He looked somehow familiar, but she couldn't place from where. The thought was ridiculous, as she didn't consort with dogs. The woman she did consort with began her chase anew, and Regina sighed.

The woman had clearly never learned how to best catch animals. A human, she could chase down no problem, but a dog was quick and wily. At this rate, she was more likely to break herself further than to actually apprehend the animal.

Regina returned to her desk as her phone rang. Instead of ignoring it this time, she lifted the receiver and gritted out her greeting, "Mayor Mills."

"Are you laughing at me?"

Regina smiled and then immediately scolded herself for being so happy to hear Emma's voice. "Perhaps. But you must admit your technique leaves much to be desired."

"There's nothing wrong with my technique."

Regina wasn't sure, but she could have sworn Emma's voice dropped to almost sultry. She was glad Emma was outside and in no position to see her flummoxed expression. She had just talked herself out of pursuing Emma—and there the blonde went, reeling her back in.

"I won't take up more of your time," Emma said, breaking Regina from her thoughtful reverie. "I just saw you up in the window and, well, I thought maybe you wouldn't mind hearing from me."

"I didn't. I don't, I mean." Regina fumbled with her words, trying to get her brain back on track with their current conversation.

She had been spending too much time her daydreams, she feared. It was almost as if she had an idealized version of Emma, which was dangerous. Emma disliked that most townspeople put her on a pedestal, so it wasn't likely she'd appreciate Regina's alternate, imaginary version in the slightest. Regina liked Emma because the blonde saw her as Regina and nothing else, and she knew she owed the blonde the same respect.

"So, go on. Get back to mayoring."

"Have you considered using treats?"

"What?"

"To catch the dog. Food is usually an excellent motivator."

Emma was silent a moment, and Regina could imagine the blush that was probably ravaging her cheeks. "We tried food. The dog… uh… There were like ten of them, all snarling. Foaming at the mouth, too. David and I barely escaped with our lives."

"Outsmarted by a dog…" Regina sighed. "I suppose I don't keep you around for your intellect."

"What do you keep me around for?"

"Your looks," Regina responded before her brain caught up with her tongue. She cleared her throat and tried to keep moving as if nothing out of the ordinary had been said. "Anyway, I must get back to work. I have forms to sign and—"

"Mayor things to do."

"Exactly."

Emma chuckled. "Alright. But if I come home tonight battered and bruised, you can't make fun of me."

In the silence that followed, Regina considered Emma's words as much as she dared let herself. Emma called her manor home. She wasn't sure why that was, or when it happened, but she didn't want to ruin things by speaking out of turn.

"I promise I'll keep my teasing to a minimum."

0-0-0

Emma burst into an excited gallop when the phone call was concluded. She was going to catch this stupid dog no matter what. She'd have something to show for her day, an interesting story to tell over dinner when she got home. And that was when she realized she'd called Regina's house home. She skidded to a halt, grabbed her phone, and nearly dialed Regina's number once more. Yet, she had no idea what she could say to cover up her faux pas. Calling again would only give her a chance to make things worse. The phone returned to her pocket.

Regina hadn't corrected her. It was possible Regina hadn't even heard, or noticed, the slip of her tongue. Home was with Snow in the dinky, quaint two bedroom apartment, where she kept the paltry few boxes of her belongings. She was nearly thirty years old and living with her parents; she cringed. It had been wonderful to meet them, but the more she thought about their continued cohabitation, the more she wanted a change.

Not to Regina's of course, she scolded herself. That was some sort of fantasy. No matter how much she wanted to wake up every morning in the comfortable bed, or to make Henry breakfast while Regina made his lunch, it simply wasn't her life, and she wasn't going to be an uninvited interloper. She could, however, move out into her own apartment, which could be closer to Regina's house.

She spotted the dog a block away, sucked in a breath, and darted off after him again. He was toying with her, she knew that, but she was too stubborn to give up. She'd chase him down an alley, and then she'd catch him when he couldn't escape. The thing was that he seemed to know where all the alleys were and avoided them. Regina was right, she thought miserably; the damn dog was smarter than she was.

0-0-0

"Emma, are you okay?"

Emma lifted her head from her desk and glared at Charming, who was only just entering the office. "Where have you been all day?"

"Catching dogs. What about you?" He shrugged out of his jacket and smiled at her, pointedly ignoring her sour expression in favor of being chipper. He set his hand on her shoulder, got one whiff of her, and bounced a few steps back. "Uh, not to be rude—"

"He tricked me." Emma let her head thud down once more. "One second, I'm chasing after him, the next I'm sitting in a pile of trash. Don't ask me how it happened. I have no idea. The damn dog—"

"We'll get him tomorrow."

Emma expression drooped further. "I don't want to do this tomorrow. I want this to be over today."

Holding his breath, he sat on the edge of her desk and rubbed her back. It seemed fatherly, he thought, and he needed more moments like that. He was her father, even if he had missed out on all the milestones. It was never too late to do the right thing, and he rubbed more vigorously. Emma hummed her appreciation; she'd fallen too many times that day to turn down a massage of any sort.

"We'll get him tomorrow," David repeated. "Because I really don't think you're up to it today. You want to take the rest of the day off and go shower? I'll watch the phone."

Emma sighed and nodded. "Yeah, thanks. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's no trouble," he promised. "I'm just glad I could help you out."

She returned his honest smile with a halfhearted grin. With a tip of her fingers, she marched out the door and down the street. He was right. She did need a shower. And while she showered, she was going think up some ingenious plan for netting that mutt. She was just fooling herself on that front… That dog was uncatchable.

Thankfully, her sour mood washed away as the rank smell did. She spent more time than was entirely necessary letting the hot water beat down on her shoulders. It gave her ample opportunity to think, and shower-thinking was often the clearest thinking she did all day. She was isolated from the pressures of other people and could talk out loud to herself if the whim struck. This shower was no different. She rubbed soap along her belly and shook her head.

Regina wasn't going to remember she said home, she argued with herself. It was a casual slip of the tongue… She braced herself at the thought of Regina and tongue in the same sentence. Her dreams had been fairly vivid and made her curious. Prior to Neverland, she'd never really sat down and considered Regina as a sexual partner. There was too much unresolved between them. She was stealing Henry, and Regina was evil—Emma had thought through this all before.

Now, it felt like the air between them was cleansed. Regina had fought tooth and nail for their son, and other than a few distractions, Emma had as well. They were united in their determination to get Henry home safely, and some of that camaraderie transferred over to everyday life. Instead of enemies bickering over Henry, they were parents raising him together.

Which, in some weird way, meant that Regina was available.

This revelation drove Emma to press her forehead to the shower wall. If she could ignore the horrible reactions she assumed everyone would have to her being with Regina, the picture was pretty much perfect. They balanced each other, and Regina had made it pretty clear that she wasn't as hated as she used to be. They certainly weren't on the brink of ripping each other's clothes off...


	11. Chapter 11

She was alone in the shower. Nobody would ever know what she thought about. Giving into her baser desires, Emma closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

….She would enter after a long day of work. She would have caught the blasted dog in a show of bravery and intelligence, but she would have worn herself to the bone in the endeavor. She'd step through the doorway, her limbs heavy and her body ready for rest. But then she'd spot Regina against the stairwell. The brunette would be lying elegantly, her ankles crossed with one foot twitching impatiently. She'd be wearing—Emma paused to flip through her mental catalog of Regina's outfits—she'd be wearing a pair of black slacks, clearly tailored to her exact specifications, a white blouse, and a black vest, which would be mostly unbuttoned.

"Ms. Swan, you're rather late today," Regina would say.

Emma would kick her boots off and ease out of her jacket, as if this was exactly what she expected when she walked through the door. She'd smirk confidently and approach. Before Regina could get to her feet, Emma would pin her to the stairs. She'd toy with the bottom button of Regina's blouse.

"Sorry I made you wait."

"I'm done waiting."

Regina would surge forward, knocking Emma back. There would be a slight struggle for control, but Emma would cede to Regina, who had, after all, waited a terribly long time for her. Regina would slip her lithe fingers into Emma's jeans.

Emma pressed her fingers to her clit and moved slowly, enjoying the combination of hot water raining down on her, the pressure of her own ministrations, and the visions of Regina doing this for her. Part of her knew she would regret this as soon as it was over, but there was no way she was going to stop. She bit down on her lower lip and let her fantasy-Regina do as she pleased.

0-0-0

Regina was pleased with her own foresight. She'd scheduled her day to end early, so she could catch up on things around the house. Henry did his best to keep his room neat, but he didn't help her clean the bathrooms, vacuum the carpets, or attend to any of the hundreds of little household chores that required a few minutes of her time. Today, however, she wasn't going to clean. She was going to nap.

If Emma was going to come over again that night, Regina was going to stay up and make sure that she didn't end up molesting the blonde in her sleep. At the rate things were going, she didn't doubt that her body would betray her mind in such a fashion. To protect herself, she was going to remain awake and in full control of her faculties.

When she got home, she discarded her outerwear, shut the blinds, and crawled into bed. Her pillow was as close to a cloud as she could afford, and her sheets felt fantastic against her skin. Everything was just right for a mid-afternoon nap. She yawned, shut her eyes, and drifted to sleep. But her rest was shallow; she woke minutes later to roll onto her other side. She took her spare pillow and tucked it under her arm. It helped a bit to have something to hold, but it simply wasn't Emma.

She frowned. She didn't need Emma to sleep. The thing was, she realized, that although she didn't need Emma, she wanted her. Over the past few days, she'd grown so accustomed to having Emma nestled snugly beside her, and now, the familiar weight pressing down against her was missing. Regina squeezed her eyes shut and sat upright. Thank goodness Emma needed her to sleep because she could just pretend this was completely a favor for Emma and that she didn't benefit in the slightest.

The nap was useless. She got out of bed, resigned to a long night of no sleep and a longer day after that. Rather than waste her valuable free time, she cleaned her bedroom and remade the bed. There wasn't much to neaten, as she preferred to keep things clean, but there were a few things out of place; most notable was a sock that was most certainly not hers, hiding underneath her pillow. She pulled the sock free and examined it. Emma. Of course.

Emma was some sort of chameleon because the blonde felt like she fit into every scene and situation. The confidence that made this possible was at times false bravado, but it sufficed to make Emma look at ease. Regina personally preferred her version of looking permanently implacable, but she had to admit that Emma's brash charm was alluring. It was this charm that made it feasible for Emma to discard her clothing in Regina's bedroom as if she lived there.

Regina paused only momentarily to consider her next action. Tucking the sock into her purse, she returned downstairs, stepped into her heels, and set off for the blonde's apartment. This was in no way founded on her desire to see Ms. Swan. This was simply a mission to return a lost article of clothing. If she got to sass Snow in the process, all the better. If she got to spend time with Emma—well, that would be the best result. She immediately shut herself down, though. She was not looking to spend even more time with Emma. That was the exact opposite of what she needed.

By the time she got to the apartment, her resolve had crumbled. She didn't know if she could just return the sock now. She might not be physically able to leave.

0-0-0

Emma's fingers slid down, the water doing nothing to help her fight the slickness between her thighs. Feeling awfully weak, she slipped to the floor, spread her legs, and imagined Regina crouched in front of her. It wasn't her fingers delving into her but Regina's tongue. A tremor built in her leg, and a moan ripped from her throat. Her head thunked against the shower wall, and her foot ghosted through the water.

As she came against her hand, she basked in the momentary peace that washed over her. She'd get the dog tomorrow, she told herself as her breathing evened back out. The bigger problem would now be going to Regina's that night and looking the brunette in the eye, knowing that a fantasy of the other woman gave her the strongest orgasm she'd had in years.

She got to her feet, laughed at the trembling of her legs, and finished washing up. She wrapped herself in a towel and ran a brush through her hair before she heard the gentle tapping of someone at the front door. Still dripping, she padded through the kitchen and undid the lock. Still feeling light and cheery, she pulled the door open.

"Ms. Swan, you forgot your—"

"Regina!" Emma's hand flew to the top of her towel. She flushed. "I wasn't—what are you doing here?"

Regina mouthed wordlessly for a moment, her eyes dragging blatantly over Emma from top to bottom. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as she finally made eye contact with Emma once more. Finding words, however, was difficult and took a moment longer.

"Returning your sock." Suddenly, the excuse felt awfully flimsy. Regina reached into her purse, grabbed the sock, and tossed it at Emma. "Here. Good bye."

Emma held onto her sock tightly. "If you wanted to come in or something, I'll be dressed in a second."

With a sigh, Regina entered the apartment. She was tempted to follow Emma back up the stairs so that she could rip that towel away and see what was, no doubt, a beautiful, naked body. Thankfully, her self-control had reinstated itself, and she managed to bring herself over to the kitchen table. She was unable to keep her mind from wandering upstairs. She clasped her hands together tightly to draw her attention back to the bowl of fake fruit in the middle of the table. Tacky, she thought, and clearly Snow's version of a home-y touch.

"Regina… what are you doing here?" The front door swung open and banged shut, but Regina didn't flinch.

She rolled her eyes and responded, "Taking in your lovely interior decorating."

"Oh." Snow's voice lilted at the end. Her face lit up. "I worked very hard on it. Would you like some tips?"

"No, that's okay. I think I've learned enough of what not to do." Regina finally turned to meet Snow's gaze. "I'm here for your daughter."

Snow's face flushed, first from the insult and then from Regina's designs on Emma. "You should leave my daughter alone."

"I don't think so," Regina drawled. "She's just upstairs getting redressed."

"Redressed…" Snow stuttered for a moment, her cheeks flaring further. "What are you implying?"

"Absolutely nothing." Regina glanced down at her nails and sighed. "I was returning some clothing she left at my house, and she invited me inside. I can't take full responsibility for what transpired here today."

"I can't believe you!"

"What can't you believe?" Emma stepped into the kitchen, straightening her shirt and moving her gaze between both brunettes in equal measure. "Regina…"

"I didn’t do anything."

"Emma, please," Snow interjected. "Can we talk? Alone?"

Regina shot Emma the most innocent look she could muster, which wasn't very convincing. Emma shook her head but smirked. She followed Snow up to her bedroom, knowing that this conversation was going to be tedious, simply because she’d rather be downstairs with Regina. She chastised herself for selling Snow so short—the woman was her mother, and she might actually benefit from a positive mother-daughter relationship.

"You can't possibly be…" Snow cut herself off and paced angrily in front of Emma's bed. "You do realize who she is, right?"

"Regina Mills," Emma responded. She kept her voice quiet and bland, unsure of what Snow was on about. "Mayor of this fine town?"

"Emma, she cursed everyone."

"Still not seeing the point of this aside."

"How can you have feelings for her?"

Emma's face drained of its color. "How did you know?"

"That's not important," Snow said, taking Emma's hands into her own. She made Emma sit next to her on the bed and rubbed small circles with her thumbs. "What is important is that you remember who you are, and who she is… And what it could mean for everyone involved. Have you even stopped to think about Henry?"

Emma tugged her hands free. "Ugh, Snow. This is not a conversation I wanted to have with you. I just… It happened really quickly, okay? It like came up behind me and bashed me on the head. But you've seen her. It's just—how can you not?"

"Easily!" Snow was clearly panicked. She grabbed Emma's wrist, intent on telling Emma of the myriad reasons to not sleep with Regina because, according to her, even if Emma was physically attracted to the woman, Regina was simply a poor choice in mate. "She's why we were never a family."

Emma’s willingness to have this chat—and improve their relationship—shriveled up instantly. "We can't keep dragging that out every time you need a scapegoat. We've all made some really shitty choices, okay? And yeah, maybe hers did force your hand, but you still could have kept me. Nobody's faultless, and we've already talked about this." Emma threw her hands up. "So, it's in the past. We have to keep moving forward."

"I just worry about you."

"Thanks, but I don't need it, Snow." Emma squeezed her hands before pulling fully away. She tromped back down the stairs once more and leaned against the table by Regina.

"Sorry about that."

All the aggravation Snow had riled up in her fled at the sight of Regina's half-smile. She wondered if Regina knew, and how Snow had even figured it out in the first place. When it came to emotions, Emma was good at displaying explosive anger and frustration, but good emotions were harder. She didn't really know how to express the plethora of feelings fluttering through her chest, just that Regina caused them.

"Care to explain?"

"Not really."

Regina shrugged and tilted her head. "You should be more conscientious of where you leave your belongings."

"Maybe I left it on purpose. So you'd come give it to me." Emma cleared her throat. Her fantasy in the shower was definitely turning into a mistake, as she apparently couldn't keep it together in Regina's presence. "Well. This is has been great."

"Yes." Regina stood, equally as knocked off balance by the thought of Emma's earlier nudity. As soon as Snow and Emma had walked away, her brain had returned to the tantalizing sight that had greeted her at the door. She hoped her distraction wasn't evident on her face. "Truly."

"Don't mind Snow," Emma finally managed. She tucked one hand into her front pocket and ran the other through her hair. "I don't know what she's on about."

"Will you be joining us for dinner?" The question surprised them both, but Regina kept her face blank. She wouldn't be hurt if Emma turned her down. She would maintain her neutral expression no matter what. It wasn't as if her happiness was in any way dependent on Emma's presence in her life.

"I'm there."

"Very good."

"What are we having?"

"Henry requested pizza several days ago. I know it is not yet Friday, but—"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Emma grinned at the way Regina's face lightened. Even if she was never brave enough to tell the powerful woman about the new feelings brewing within her, Emma would be content enough just making Regina smile.


	12. Chapter 12

"So, you won't be home for dinner." Snow opened the fridge and made a big show of searching through it. She eventually selected a bottle of water that had been directly in front of her the entire time. "Again."

Emma leaned against the island. "Sorry."

"Are you actually, or are you just saying it because you think that's what I want to hear?"

This was a trap. Emma cleared her throat a few times and shifted from foot to foot. "I mean it?"

Snow shook her head slowly as she unscrewed the cap on her water bottle. "I want to get to know you, Emma. I want you to be around. But most of all, I want you to want to be around. You're my daughter, and—"

"And we got along better as friends."

"I know this is my fault." Snow stepped toward her. "I've tried too hard and pushed too much. But we finally have a real opportunity to be together. I think we need to take it."

"You can't force things."

"I know. I just feel so bad."

"The thing is, Snow, it's not just about you." Emma watched Snow's grip on the bottle tighten; the plastic crackled. "I felt bad for twenty eight years. And I'm really sick of these conversations. Just because I'm having fun with Regina, doesn't mean I'm throwing you and David out."

Snow's eyes twitched at Emma's wording. "So, this is about fun?"

"What?"

"You said it, not me." Snow set her water down, her features painted with hurt. "Having a few minutes of fun with Regina is more important than getting to know your family?"

Emma's brow crinkled. She was once against lost as to Snow's real meaning, or why Snow stressed the word fun as if it meant something strange and bad. Rather than argue and beat a poor, dead horse once again, Emma sighed and walked away.

She marched up to her room and flopped onto her bed. To be honest, she did understand Snow's point, and she empathized to a certain extent. Over the past four days or so, she had spent an inordinate amount of time over at Regina's. The thought might have been worrisome, except Emma knew she didn't particularly want to be around Snow or David. She wasn't used to parents who cared about her existence, and she found that their clinginess was annoying after a lifetime of neglect. Her stomach churned as she thought about their most recent disagreement; Snow had a right in the abstract, as a mother, to complain about who she spent time with. Reality, though, was different. Snow’s saccharine devotion to her well-being, life, and future felt invasive.

This gave her pause because the same sort of interest from Regina was welcome.

She scrambled to rationalize the difference. Regina's attention was—polite and genuine. Well, Snow’s was honest, too. Perhaps it was the disinterested way in which Regina went about things. When Snow asked about her day, it felt cloying and demanding, like Snow thought she had a right to all the minuscule details. Yet when Regina casually inquired, it felt like something she could say no to and not offend.

As her roiling belly soothed, she pulled herself out of bed. She grabbed a bag from her closet and tossed a change of clothes in. Jacking her heart rate up, she decided impulsively to change her outfit as well. She tugged her jeans and underwear off and selected a pair of panties she'd never worn before, purchased to go with a dress while tracking down a bail jumper to avoid having a visible underwear line. Blushing a bit, she slid them up her thighs and stared at herself in the mirror. Chances were nobody would see them, but…

But she couldn't let her mind wander down that path. She selected a clean pair of jean and a fresh blouse. The shirt was a bit dressier than she would normally wear, and Regina would no doubt comment on the change, but she felt like she looked rather nice.

On her way out, she passed Snow in the kitchen once more. Not wanting to leave things as they were, she hefted her bag from hand to hand and sighed loudly. The noise drew Snow's attention—and Snow's mournful gaze. Emma wondered what had died.

"Why don't we have a… a something on Saturday? Just the two of us?"

"And David?"

So much for some sort of girl's day, Emma thought. Rather than complain, she nodded. "If you want."

"As a family?"

"As a family," Emma confirmed. "I know I haven't been around a whole lot."

"But that's fine." Snow smiled gently. She pulled Emma into a tight, possessive hug. "If you love something, you have to set it free. You'll be back. I just know it."

Especially because they just made plans. She suffered through the hug, gave Snow a final squeeze, and then drew back. "Don't wait up. I'm staying over."

"Oh, Emma…"

"I know what I'm doing."

Snow's brow creased. "Okay. You're right. If you want to talk about it…"

Rather than hear Snow's incessant 'I told you so's, Emma thought she'd prefer talking to herself in the shower. Still, she wanted to acknowledge Snow's great stride forward. "I'll definitely let you know."

If only Snow was still Mary-Margaret. Mary-Margaret had given her wonderful, nonjudgmental support. That was probably due to the woman's pursuit of a married man, but Emma took comfort in the mutual respect between them. They were equals, but that balance had shifted when the curse broke. They couldn't be the same any longer. Snow was her mother. She decided that if she got enough sleep by Saturday, she'd give Snow a chance. She wouldn't expect Mary-Margaret, and she wouldn't get upset when she didn't get Mary-Margaret.

0-0-0

"We're having pizza!" Henry leaped to his feet. "This is the best news I've ever heard!"

"Henry," Regina called, "there's no reason to exaggerate."

He grinned at her. "And Emma's coming. I don't see how tonight could be better. Okay, well, it could be Friday, too, but I'm not too picky."

Regina fought to keep from smiling at the mention of Emma. She, too, was pleased that the blonde was joining them. She wouldn't be opposed to Emma spending every evening with them, and the thought was getting less and less frightening each time it crossed her mind. She could admit it out loud even, if she wanted to. Henry would make a good audience, she thought. He was a smart boy.

"How would you feel about Emma being here more often?"

"Like she's been this week?"

"Something like that."

He shrugged. "I mean, are you gonna have her gang up on me like before?"

She caught his wry smile and relaxed. Although she wasn't yet ready to explain to anyone the complex feelings coursing through her, she knew she could count on Henry to be a fairly good sport about Emma's sudden and constant presence in their home.

"It may happen."

"Okay, rule number one of you being friends with Emma is no ganging up on me."

Friends. She supposed she could call Emma such, but the title felt insufficient to cover what they truly were to one another. She couldn't say that to Henry, however, so she merely smiled at him and tilted her head in agreement.

"I'll do my best."

"Rule number two: Emma makes breakfast if she's over."

"Excuse me?"

"No offense, Mom, but she makes really good eggs." He grinned at her, and she forgave the slight against her cooking. "Besides, you make perfect sandwiches, so she can make me breakfast and you my lunch."

"And then you get to make us both dinner."

"Pizza every night it is!"

At the sound of the doorbell, both Regina and Henry stood. Henry darted down the hall, and Regina walked calmly after him. Inside, she was racing after him in an attempt to see Emma first, but outwardly, she was akin to a still lake. The thought of Emma was like a pebble on her surface; there were ripples, but they would fade. She reached the door a moment or two after Henry and waited for him to let the blonde in.

If the thought of Emma was a pebble, Emma's face was a boulder, or a hefty person doing a cannonball. Regina's uncaring mien gave way to a shaky smile that firmed when Emma's eyes met hers. She hated how childish she felt for her genuine reaction but liked how her joy was reflected almost entirely in Emma's gaze. Yes, she determined, they were friends. They had somehow slipped between the cracks of apathy and ended up on good terms.

"Sorry if I'm a bit early. Just needed to get out of the house, y'know?"

Henry grabbed her satchel. "Does this mean you're staying over?"

"Did your mom already talk to you about it?" Her eyes strayed back to Regina's face. She considered momentarily that Regina had some sort of magnet in her lips because her gaze kept returning involuntarily.

"I hadn't."

"You were here really early that morning, and then you made me breakfast," Henry stated, his expression flat. It was clear from his expression that he was through with any sort of shenanigans. The wool would not be pulled over his eyes.

She shrugged. "I'm not trying to hide it anymore, kid. Yeah, I was here. And I'll maybe be here more?"

"Ms. Swan is having issues sleeping, Henry. I am helping her resolve them."

His expression brightened. "I knew it!"

"What?"

"You're doing nice things now. You're getting better."

Emma caught Regina's gaze and read the sadness that flickered through it. She knew better than to bring the emotional exchange up in front of Henry, so she moved into the house and instead asked about the pizza.

"I ordered the pizza shortly before you arrived."

Regina sat down on the couch, one arm draped over the back. Henry took his place on the floor, where a jigsaw puzzle was spilled haphazardly. Emma tiptoed around it and sat on the opposite end of the couch. She watched Henry select a solid blue piece and wondered what the final puzzle was supposed to look like. Perhaps an ocean, she considered, or the sky.

"Good, because I'm starving," she eventually replied. "Arguing takes a lot out of me."

"Oh?"

"It's no big deal. I kinda just want to forget about it."

"Did you want to choose a movie?" Henry's head jerked up.

"Henry, I said we weren't using technology tonight. It's family night."

He frowned and sighed. "You're not even helping with my puzzle."

"I've done it before. You wouldn't want me doing it for you." Regina smirked and returned her gaze to Emma.

"Yeah, kid. I've done it, too." Emma grinned back at her and winked as cheesily as she could. Unfortunately, Henry saw and groaned.

"You have not. You just think puzzles are boring."

"I do not!"

"Then help me."

With a sigh loud enough to let Henry know how much of a pain this was—and how grateful he ought to be that she was doing this for him—Emma scooted off the couch and took a seat next to him. He offered her the puzzle box's lid and she examined the scene. The blue belonged to one of the dresses on one of the ladies dancing in a ballroom. The corner of the box advertised its fifteen-hundred pieces.

"This is pretty intense for a first puzzle." Emma fiddled with the pieces. "Don't you have any of those puzzles that are like six inches a piece and only five pieces total? That's a bit more my speed."

Henry handed her a pale pink piece and raised his eyebrows. "See if you can match this to the pink section."

"I know how puzzles work."

Despite the complaint, she rolled her eyes and did as he ordered. It was his puzzle, and so he was running the show. If he wanted her to spend the next twenty minutes awkwardly trying to shove the cardboard piece into every slot, then that's what she'd do. And if at the end of her service, she threw the piece at his head, then that was his fault for giving her a task she couldn't complete.

"I suppose puzzles require patience," Regina said, tucking her legs under her. "Something Ms. Swan lacks."

"I have plenty of patience. Just not for puzzles. You should see me when I'm waiting for something I really want."

Regina turned her gaze away before Emma could see the flare of her pupils. Her mind immediately went to all the activities that would leave Emma waiting and wanting… all the activities that were wholly inappropriate to think about during family night. By the time she got herself under control, Emma and Henry were rolling about on top of the puzzle pieces. Emma's fingers were diving heedlessly after Henry's sides, and Henry was squealing, kicking his legs, and begging for her help.

She smiled and shook her head, preferring to stay out of such physical confrontations. She merely laughed when Emma claimed her as an ally. Emma was an over-sized child, which was oddly not a turn-off. The playfulness seemed to balance out her more regulated nature. Thankfully, Emma was capable of parenting herself; she finally pushed Henry away and sat up. Their eyes met once more, and Regina’s breath fled her lungs.

Outside, with a pizza in hand, he watched through the window and rolled his eyes. Bored with their merrymaking he stalked up to the front door and rang the bell. They better tip well, he thought.


	13. Chapter 13

Emma dug into her pocket with one hand for her wallet, while the other reached for the doorknob. She tugged the door open and found herself face-to-face with a smirking man with intensely curled brown hair and dark eyes. He balanced the pizza on his fingertips and spun it casually as he waited for her to fish her money out.

"Took you long enough to answer the door." He peered past her. "Looks awful home-y."

"Yeah, sure." She took the pizza. "You look a little creepy."

His grin widened. "Thanks."

"You sure know how to take an insult."

"Why should I care?"

He counted the money she handed him, folded it up, and tucked it safely away. When he turned to leave, she spotted a red bandana in his back pocket. Curious, she thought, but she couldn't recall where she'd seen something similar before. Waving the concern away, mostly because the pizza smelled delicious, and her stomach was rumbling, she returned to the living room.

"I'm here to deliver a pizza." Emma consulted her receipt. "Looks like a charge of eighteen thirty two."

Regina rolled her eyes. "And if I have no money because a blonde offered to buy me dinner?"

"I'm sure we can work something out," Emma responded.

She winked and then winced. However, if Regina took offense to the overt gesture, she didn't show it. When Emma set the box down, she merely handed out the paper plates and made sure they each had a napkin. Emma tried her best to forget how close their conversation had been to the beginning of a bad porn. It was definitely inappropriate to be thinking about Regina and porn in the same sentence with their kid sitting right there staring at her.

She smiled at him. "I didn't know you were into mushrooms."

He pulled one off the pizza and tossed it into his mouth. "They're so gross. I like it."

Emma selected a slice, pulled it free, and used her mouth to catch the dangling bits of cheese. She licked at her fingers to clean up the spilling pizza sauce and then dabbed at her chin. When she chewed, she let her eyes leave her slice. With an audible gulp she realized that Regina was watching her with predator-like intensity.

"Uh, sorry. I know I'm not the neatest pizza eater."

"You have quite the system."

Emma flushed and shrugged. "I'm a bit of an old pro at this. You probably wouldn't believe how much pizza I've had over the years."

"Do I even want to know?"

Henry snorted. "Mom's had pizza like four times since I was born. She wouldn't appreciate what a refined palate you have."

It was Regina's turn to snort. "Refined? Pizza is hardly refined, Henry."

"You just haven't developed a taste for it. Pizza's quite like fine wine." Emma tilted her head up and looked down her nose at Regina. "And coffee and alcohol and everything else that tastes bad at first but then you just keep going, and suddenly, you're addicted."

Just like Emma, Regina thought: an awful, wonderful addiction. She shrugged. "I'm not opposed to pizza. There are simply better options available in this world."

"Like what?"

"Like…" Ever mindful of their eleven year old audience, Regina bit back her flirtatious comment and said, "Almost anything, my dear."

"Not brussel sprouts."

"Or asparagus."

Catching on, Henry grinned. "Or green beans."

"Exactly." Emma took another satisfied bite of her slice and chewed with as much obvious enjoyment as she could.

Regina glanced down at the game board. "Are we going to play?"

"I'm the dog," Henry informed Emma. "But you can be the top hat."

"What if I wanted to be the iron?"

He rolled his eyes. "You can be the top hat."

Regina realized half an hour in that playing Monopoly was a mistake. She'd already caught Emma stealing from the bank twice and, after catching Emma's eye, had chosen not to comment. Their son, it seemed, was a savvy, bloodthirsty businessman. He was lucky with his rolls, prudent with his money, and vicious with his deals. In the hopes of not letting him win, she was willing to let Emma skim a bit off the top.

She watched her lovely, smart son roll a seven and promptly buy up the Boardwalk, all the while leering at Emma, who was hot on his heels. If the blonde rolled a five, she'd end up in his clutches. Determined to get Emma past Go, Regina coughed when Emma rolled and the dice tumbled to six. It wasn't cheating. No more so than Emma taking money. Emma shot her a grateful look, letting her know she wasn't as subtle as she hoped.

"You got lucky this time," Henry stated, his voice low and somehow dangerous. "But you have to pass by here every time."

"I'm shaking in my socks." Emma handed Regina the dice. "Don't get cocky, kid. Arrogance isn't attractive."

"Hah. Winning is."

"No," she retorted, reaching over to tweak his nose. "Inner strength is attractive and a nice smile. Being a smarmy asshole just makes girls dislike you."

"I'm not smarmy." He grinned charmingly at Regina. "Right, Mom?"

"Perhaps just a bit."

His smile faded into a vaguely disturbed scowl. "I thought we agreed on rule number one."

"Rule number one?" Emma's brows darted up her forehead. "There are rules? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It was a joke."

"No. It wasn't," Henry interrupted. "If you're gonna be Mom's friend, there are rules. Number one is no ganging up on me. It's not fair."

"Not fair?" Emma tried not to look too pleased at the thought of Regina as her friend. "What's not fair is you owning half the board. 

“That’s totally fair. Want to talk about how close you’re sitting to the bank?”

Emma huffed and puffed and moved her game piece safely past his territory. Regina landed on free parking, glad to avoid instigating any strife. She wasn’t going to win, but she had no interest in losing, either.

“So…" Emma continued a short while later. She had two twenties left and was resting comfortably in jail. "If rule number one is no ganging up on you, what're the others?"

"You make me breakfast."

"I didn't agree to that."

Henry looked up from his pile of money, which he had been organizing and counting with glee, and shrugged. "Then you can't be her friend. It's that simple."

"You can't stop me."

"But think of how much emotional damage you'll be doing to me." He held his hand out. "By the way, you owe free parking fifty dollars. This is your third turn in jail and you didn't roll doubles."

She pushed his hand away. "I'll do it in my own time."

Regina muffled her chuckle with a mild cough. "Do you need change?"

"No." Emma looked at her five twenties and single one hundred and sighed. "Yeah, okay, break this hundred."

Regina purposely handed her one more fifty than was necessary. Henry watched the transaction with curious eyes and then pouted at the appearance of the third bill.

"Are you actually cheating? I mean, I was going to accuse you, but I didn’t think you’d actually stoop so low just to beat a lowly child at a children’s board game."

Emma gasped at the sight of the third bill. "I think she is!"

"Rule number one, Ms. Swan," Regina tried.

Henry shook his head. "That just says you two can't gang up on me. Nothing about me and her ganging up on you."

"Ms. Swan, if you have any desire to sleep tonight, you will take responsibility."

Emma's lips curled up into a smile. "Yeah, kid. I'm cheating. But that's the point of the game. It's capitalism, Henry."

He pointed to his piles of money. "This is capitalism, Emma. You're just a thief."

"Technically, your mom is like Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor." Emma tossed the spare fifty back into the bank. "Is it wrong that I always found that animated fox attractive?"

0-0-0

Regina pulled the covers back and waited patiently for Henry to wiggle in beneath them. She tucked him in, kissed his forehead, and moved to stand, but he grabbed her wrist and stared solemnly at her. Confused, she arched an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"This was really fun tonight. Think we can do it again?"

"Of course we can." When his grip released, she pushed hair back from his forehead. "As long as you promise to let Emma win a game of something."

"I'm really glad you two are getting along. I didn't like having to choose between you, you know? I like it more now that she's here, and you're happy."

He settled back against his pillow, his piece said. She lingered a moment longer before shutting his light off and closing his door. She had gotten lucky; he was mischievous, persistent, and stubborn, but he was also intelligent and kind. None of her old ways had rubbed off on him, and she was forever grateful that a child as pure-hearted as him appreciated her presence in his life.

She continued down the hallway, lost in thought. She was apt to ruin things after a while. Everyone she loved eventually met with some untimely fate, so it was only a matter of time before something went wrong. She couldn't trust that all this goodness would continue. She would enjoy it while it lasted, but she would be ready for when it was gone. She pushed her bedroom door open and brought her eyes up.

Emma stood beside her bed, pants pooled at her ankles. There was a pair of shorts in the blonde's hands, but all Regina could focus on was the pair of sassy panties Emma was wearing. They were tiny, brilliant red, and lace. She blinked several times before her brain caught up with her and convinced her to turn around.

"My apologies, Ms. Swan."

Emma flushed as red as her panties and quickly stepped into her shorts. Once they were secure and she could speak without an embarrassing squeak in her voice, she cleared her throat. Regina remained facing the door, so she coughed a bit louder. She shouldn't have worn them, she thought, even if they did make her feel more confident. She hadn't anticipated Regina actually seeing them at all, least of all in such a nonsexual way.

"I'm done now."

"Well, good."

Regina licked her lips before turning slowly and meeting Emma's gaze. She refused to let her eyes wander, especially after the wild thoughts Emma's panties had sparked. The hope planted in her chest had exploded into full bloom, as there was no good explanation for why Emma was wearing something like that to a platonic sleep over. But, just in case she was assuming too much, she was going to remain neutral. Ms. Swan was free to make the first move.

"Yup." Emma shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. There was an unreadable emotion in Regina's eyes, which she interpreted as discomfort. To try and alleviate the tension between them, Emma smiled weakly and offered, "Laundry day…?"

Regina's hope wilted, but she forced a smile to her lips. "I am certainly not judging you for stepping up from your usual fare."

"How do you know what sort of underwear I usually wear?"

Regina broke eye contact and went to her closet to choose her own sleep garb. She had no answer for Emma that wouldn't sound somehow like a come on, and it was becoming clear that Emma wasn't interested in her the same way that she was interested in Emma. She sorted through her clothing to give herself a moment to think of something witty.

When that failed, she shrugged. "You seem like a woman with simple tastes, Ms. Swan."

After changing, she settled herself on the far edge of the bed, as far from Emma as she could manage. As long as she was entertaining these less than pure thoughts, she didn't want to get too close. She was already prepared to stay awake all night, if that's what it took, so a bit of distance was nothing. She stared at the far wall and took long, slow breaths to feign sleep.

"He's a good kid."

She didn't respond until Emma repeated her statement a second time. "I'm glad you think so, Ms. Swan."

"It's kinda weird to call me that when we're, y'know… Sleeping together?"

"What would you prefer, Sheriff?"

Emma chuckled. She had taken over the other end of the bed, content to simply be in Regina's presence and understanding from Regina's posture that any form of snuggling or cuddling would not be appreciated. Not that she wanted that. Of course not. Physical contact was too much like that fantasy she'd had. So, for now, she was willing to sleep on the edge of Regina's bed. The scent of Regina was around her, and she could sense the brunette nearby. It was sufficient for sleep, but Emma wasn't tired.

"Emma would be okay, don't you think?"

"I suppose it is your name."

"Unless you think that's weird, too." Emma ran her finger down the sheets. "Y'know what? Forget about it. I don't really mind Ms. Swan."

"Go to sleep."

"Yeah." Emma managed to remain quiet for a full two minutes before letting out a puff of air. "Am I being a nuisance?"

"Has that ever stopped you before?"

"So, I am?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't not say that."

"You are not a nuisance," Regina gritted out. "However, you are being fairly pesky at the moment-"

"I just…" Emma pushed her head down into the pillows. "I just don't want to annoy you."

"You're not annoying me," Regina stated, although her tone came off grouchier than she wanted.

"I just don't want to wear out my welcome."

For a moment, Regina sat perfectly still. She hadn't realized that beyond her issues, Emma was suffering through problems of her own. The woman across the bed from her had a slew of abandonment issues; despite being less than thorough, Emma's file had provided Regina with a basic idea of how many homes Emma had gone into and subsequently been kicked out of. Feeling rather self-centered for not considering how her conduct would affect the blonde, Regina eased across the mattress.

"Your welcome is far from worn, Emma."


	14. Chapter 14

Emma took in Regina’s kind statement silently and mulled over the possibilities. While Regina could have been honest, there was just as high a likelihood that this was a false platitude, to get her to quiet down and sleep. "Just lemme know if I'm being a pain."

Regina's arm curled around her middle and pulled her closer. Reluctantly, she rolled over and clung to Regina. She felt weak, but Regina didn't make her feel like weak was necessarily bad. Regina made her feel safe enough to display her weakness. She pressed her face to Regina's shoulder. With her ear pressed to Regina's body, she could hear the steady thud of Regina's heart, a thud that picked up speed the longer she was pressed to the brunette's body.

She drew back an inch and gazed into Regina's eyes. Regina stared back, trying to mask the flurry of emotions that Emma evoked in her. Emma's lower lip disappeared momentarily between her teeth, and then popped back out, wet and red. Regina's gaze lowered momentarily and then lifted again. Emma leaned closer, ignoring the small cries that this was a mistake, that she was about to lose her privilege of sleeping in Regina's bed and all because she couldn't control herself.

It was the panties, she thought. She'd worn them to give herself confidence, and now, she was out of hand. Regina hadn't moved, however: not closer, but also not away. She could feel the brunette's warm breath against her lips. Now or never, she told herself.

Her courage left her.

She had invested so much into different relationships over the years. There were attempts at keeping parents interested in her, which were all futile. Neal had loved her and left her. Every subsequent significant other or lover had eventually walked away. At first, she'd blamed the lot of them, but the fact remained that the common denominator in each failed relationship was her. She was the problem, and she couldn't ruin this tenuous relationship with Regina by wanting more than what she had.

"Emma?"

"Good night, Regina," Emma whispered, defeat crushing her spirits. She collapsed against Regina and forced her eyes closed. She couldn't embarrass herself if she was asleep. For several minutes, there was silence, but Regina's heart was still racing.

When Regina spoke again, the vibrations rattled up through Emma's ear. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

"I see."

The moment had passed, Emma thought. They'd had a wonderful evening, and she'd somehow managed to muck it up. The almost kiss would linger in her memory for a good long while, though. Their proximity was potent and left her feeling more strongly for Regina than she had before. Emma was no stranger to wanting others to like her, but she had tried to keep herself from getting emotionally invested in any relationship since Neal. Henry had changed that first, and now Regina, was tearing more of her barriers down. She wasn't sure she liked it.

"Yeah. So. Good night, sleep tight. All that good stuff."

"You don't seem tired."

"Oh, I'm plenty tired." Emma's grasp on Regina tightened. "Just…"

Regina hummed under her breath, mimicking the song Emma had been humming before with as much accuracy as she could remember. The effect was immediate: Emma relaxed against her. She continued on with the song, even after she couldn't remember the tune.

"Why do you keep to yourself so much?" Emma’s breath was warm.

Regina absentmindedly ran her fingers through Emma's hair. It must be the hour, she thought, because she was actually considering answering. This room felt impenetrable, as if it weren't physically located in Storybrooke but on some other plane of existence. With the light out and the door closed, it was possible. It was therefore also possible to bare certain secrets to the world, or at least to the woman snuggled so close.

"While I am no longer considered an active threat, it has been made fairly clear that my presence will not be tolerated. I could, of course, force myself upon the populace but…”

"But that's not really your style these days," Emma concluded. "Kinda shitty isn't? Sitting around waiting for people to want you."

Regina chin nestled against the top of her head. "I suppose you became an expert on that?"

Realizing this wasn't meant as insult, Emma chuckled sadly. "Yeah, a little. I thought getting parents was going to change that, but…"

It was Regina's turn to break in. "But they're already planning for another child, so where does that leave you?"

"I don't know." Emma inhaled slowly to keep her voice steady. "That's pretty much what it always comes down to. Either I'm too much trouble, or there's a better offer on the table."

"For what it's worth, I believe you are more than sufficient in the role of Henry's mother."

"He's got you, too. Haven't you ever wanted to be just right for someone else? Just you?"

"I suppose."

Emma shrugged. "So, yeah. Maybe they won't throw me out now that they're working on a kid they can actually raise, but I'm not enough. Y'know?"

Regina rubbed her back, building some silent courage before opening her mouth once more. It was late, she reminded herself, and safe.

"You are enough for me."

Emma's head lifted from her chest. "What?"

"You are the only sheriff this town needs," Regina back-pedaled. "You do your job adequately."

Sensing that there was bullshit floating between them, Emma shook her head. Her hand fisted in Regina's shirt. "Regina, c'mon. That's not what you meant."

"You're projecting-"

"Cut the shit, Regina." Emma stared her down. "We were doing great, weren't we?"

"It depends on your perspective."

"Yeah." Emma slumped back against Regina, but her grip wasn't tight, and her expression had faded from vaguely hopeful to rather morose.

Regina sighed. She only had enough courage for one moment, she feared, but Emma was crumbling on top of her. Perhaps, she didn't have to totally expose herself to cheer Emma up. She could reveal a partial truth and that could be sufficient to bolster Emma's spirits.

"I meant more generally as well," she began. "You as a person are enough for me."

"Not in our professional capacities?" Emma's voice trembled almost imperceptibly.

"Yes."

"Thanks."

Thanks? Regina wanted to scoff. She'd put her feelings on the line for a measly thanks? She closed her eyes. She was past the point of caring if she did something in her sleep and merely wanted the moment to be over. Sleep, she commanded herself.

"You're angry."

"I'm not."

Emma pinched her side. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Push me out."

"You were never invited in."

"I'm not a vampire, Regina," Emma whispered. "I can come in if the door is open. It's pretty cold outside… Would you make me leave?"

Regina was no longer sure if they were talking mentally or physically. She certainly had no interest in kicking Emma out of her bed, but things were getting a bit too intense emotionally. Rather than risk offending her bedmate, Regina huffed and tried to settle back into the sheets.

Emma sensed she’d probed too hard and relented. "What's your favorite color?"

"Ms. Swan. This is not a sleepover," Regina chided. She wasn't truly upset with the idle conversations Emma was attempting to instigate, but she was afraid that she might grow too comfortable once again. Emma had a way of slipping beneath her skin in a manner that was not altogether unpleasant. "I didn't invite you here to gossip."

"I'm here to sleep. Got it."

Regina wasn't sure why she kept shutting Emma's enthusiasm for her down. She ought to be grateful and happy that someone wanted to know about her. It had simply been too long since anyone had been honestly interested in anything other than the power she wielded. Emma's interest was both flattering and intimidating.

"I didn't mean to be curt."

"No, I mean, you have work in the morning. Sorry. I'll go to sleep now."

"May I ask you a question?"

"Uh… sure."

"What were you doing earlier?"

"Cheating at Monopoly?" Emma's body tensed, aware that she was sidestepping the real question. When Regina was silent, Emma sighed. "I think you'll kick me out if I tell you."

"I will do no such thing," Regina assured her. Despite the darkness, she could see Emma's blonde hair; it shifted as Emma tugged her chin closer to her collarbone.

"You can't promise if you don't know what I'm going to say."

Regina tugged lightly on Emma's hair, frustrated by the constant dodging. Emma grumbled at the treatment but smiled. On realizing that Regina wouldn't see her expression, she sniffed and answered verbally.

"Okay, so I might have been… Uh…"

"Spit it out." Regina's patience was wearing thin. She wanted confirmation of the emotion she'd spotted swimming through Emma's eyes earlier. It was possible that they were both dancing around very similar feelings. But she refused to be the first to admit it.

"I was going to kiss you."

Regina unconsciously ran her fingers along Emma's back. As much as she wanted to affirm her own attachment, a sense of foreboding loomed over her. There was a difference between physical attraction and accepting everything that came with another person. Surely when Emma realized how much baggage she toted around on a daily basis, the interest would be retracted, and she'd be left alone and worse off than before.

Emma might be different. Emma had proven over and over again that she was willing to forfeit her own life and wellbeing for others. Which could mean, Regina reasoned, that Emma would lose herself in any sort of dalliance, so acting on her desires would be detrimental to the blonde. Either way, one of them was going to end up hurt. She knew she could bear hurting herself, but she didn't know if she was willing to risk Emma.

Emma made a sound somewhat like a purr as her fingers made another trip down the blonde's back. This was nice, Regina realized. Regardless of what may or may not happen, she liked this. She wanted Emma pressed against her in the calm, dark of her room – which could easily be their room. The yield was worth the risk. She dug her fingers into Emma's lower back.

"I've messed everything up, haven't I?" Emma’s voice was quiet, but the room was quieter.

"No, you have not," Regina retorted immediately. There was nothing to mess up, yet.

"Go to sleep, Ms. Swan," Emma intoned, her voice nearly an exact match for the manner in which Regina spoke. She wilted against the brunette and tried to remain as quiet and still as possible. It was difficult, however, with Regina's fingers alternating between roaming her back and pressing into her. The contact made her want to make some quite salacious noises.

Those fingers moved from her back up her arm and on to under her chin. She tilted her face up toward Regina, and their eyes met through the darkness.

Emma moved forward cautiously, leaning up on her elbow to position herself just above Regina. They stared silently at each other, neither willing to make the first direct move or wanting to share exactly why their hearts were thudding so quickly in their chests. Emma broke their staring contest first as her eyes drifted down to Regina's lips.

She wondered if Regina was actually willing to kiss her. The fingers under her chin had suggested such, but there had been no verbal confirmation. It wasn't like Regina was lunging up to capture her lips in what would no doubt be a searing, passionate kiss. Emma blinked those thoughts away; they were doing nothing to calm her down.

Deciding to test the waters, she leaned down quickly and kissed Regina's cheek. She drew back and waited; Regina followed after and kissed her cheek as well. This was a good sign. Feeling a bit braver, she kissed Regina's cheek again but closer to Regina's lips. Once again, Regina mimicked her action.

Their dance continued, and Emma edged continuously closer to Regina's lips. Gathering one last burst of wild courage, Emma finally brought their lips together. Regina's mouth melded to hers. What began as a chaste brushing of their lips gradually deepened as Regina's fingers dug into her back and pulled her closer. Emma held tight to Regina's shirt, afraid that if she let go, she'd drift off into space, or wake up and find out that this was just a dream.

She felt somehow connected to the woman beneath her, as though they were communicating even in silence. She forced her eyes open and found Regina staring quite seriously at her. Not daring to break their kiss for fear of somehow breaking the spell of their moment, Emma closed her eyes once more. The intimacy of looking at Regina was a bit too much.


	15. Chapter 15

Sleep was the furthest thing from Regina's mind the moment they came together. She ought to scold Emma or pull away, anything to stop this madness from occurring. But all she could do was hold on tight and try not to make any sort of noise that would give away the simple pleasure she felt from the contact.

When their eyes met briefly, she noticed fear lingering in Emma's gaze. She could relate…There was a lot to fear about the situation. Henry accepted that they were friends, but there was no telling how he'd react if he knew the true nature of whatever was going on between them. Emma's parents would no doubt try to forbid their contact. The townspeople would think she had cast some sort of spell. There was so much piling up against them, trying to convince Regina to pull away and call this a mistake—but she couldn't.

Emma broke away finally, her breathing shallow. Regina immediately missed the feeling of Emma's lips on hers but wasn't quite ready to admit that out loud. She cleared her throat instead and pulled Emma flush against her body again. They should sleep, especially before Emma could question what just happened.

"What just happened?"

Regina cursed silently. "We kissed, Ms. Swan. I realize that the hour is late, but—"

"No, I mean what happened… Like, something's different? Isn't it?" Emma seemed fairly desperate, so Regina seriously considered the question.

"Not if we don't want it to," she responded.

"Oh."

"Did you want it to?"

"Did you want it to?" Emma countered.

There was silence as they sat and waited for the other to say something first. Emma felt very much like they were penguins trying to determine if a killer whale was waiting in the water. Someone had to dive in and check, but that sort of behavior was dangerous and potentially life altering.

Aware that no answer would likely be forthcoming, Emma set her head back down and sighed quietly. She didn't know what she wanted from Regina, so she really was in no position to demand to know what Regina wanted from her. The surly brunette was prickly and often hard to get along with, but she was also passionate and loyal to a fault, both traits that Emma found refreshing after a lifetime of being left behind or cast aside.

She tried so damn hard to be a strong independent person that given the opportunity she was sure she'd fall to pieces. She loved quickly and easily, which forced her to erect barriers to keep herself safe. Henry had squiggled into her heart easily because his sudden appearance did little to shake her self-control. Regina, however, had already tugged the rug out from under her feet. She was certain that, if she let it happen, Regina would consume her.

This had been simpler when her desire for Regina had only been a quick fantasy in the shower. She wasn't equipped to handle her flip-flopping emotions, and she had no training either. This was all very new territory; she'd had dalliances over the years, but they'd all been to satisfy physical urges. This thing with Regina was all too emotional and she just couldn't—

"Are you still awake?"

"Yes."

"I think that we ought to spend tomorrow night apart."

Emma took the words immediately as a rejection. She stiffened and nodded. "Yeah, probably for the best. I could go now, if you wanted."

"I just mean," Regina demurred, her fingers tightening so that Emma couldn't escape, "that we are both compromised in our current situation. All the time we’ve spent together of late is unusual, is it not? I'm merely proposing some distance so that we can think clearly."

"About what we want."

"Yes."

Once the initial pain of rejection faded, Emma could see the value in this. She grunted her agreement—she would do as Regina requested, but she didn’t have to be happy about it.

0-0-0

Regina woke in the morning to find her bed was empty and one of her pillows missing its case. She felt oddly empty despite the fact that being alone was nothing new. This was precisely why she wanted some space to think. It was impossible to think of anything but keeping Emma near her when Emma's hands were touching her, Emma's hair was brushing the underside of her chin, and Emma's scent was pervading her nostrils. No, if she was going to think rationally about this, she needed Emma far, far away.

Without Emma around, she would have to make Henry both lunch and breakfast. It had never been a chore in the past, but the thought of doing both now was unappealing. It wasn't because Emma was missing, she assured herself, but that she was doing twice the work. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and pulled herself out of bed. This morning was no worse than any other. She repeated that to herself as she slipped into a robe and cinched it at the waist.

In the kitchen, she found two sack lunches sitting on the island. One had KID scrawled sloppily on it, the other REGINA. She opened both and evaluated the contents. Henry's had a sandwich, not as perfectly crafted as she was accustomed but fairly decent, an apple, and a can of soda. The soda did not belong there, but as it was Friday, she was willing to let the infraction slide.

She then sorted through her own bag: a sandwich similar to Henry's, a bag of grapes, and a note. She unfolded the note, forehead creasing with curiosity.

Regina, Ten bucks says you just got up and couldn't wait ‘til lunch to look in your bag. That's okay. Just wanted to say that this is fair trade off, right? You can make him breakfast since I made him lunch. I got the coffee pot set up for you. We'll talk Sunday, okay? – Emma.

0-0-0

Emma made it to the station without incident. She was half-expecting that damn dog to show up and taunt her, but instead, she was granted a quiet jaunt. The peaceful walk did little to clear her thoughts on Regina, so she felt a bit disappointed that nothing extraordinary had occurred. She was just as jumbled as the moment she woke up in Regina's arms and could barely bring herself to leave.

Honestly, she had to focus on the dog problem and not think about Regina every other moment. There were serious things to do and defenseless citizens to protect. Regina could take care of herself, which was in part why she was so attractive. She pressed her fingers to her temples in response. Dog. Not Regina. Dog.

"Hey, Emma," David called. He leaned back in his chair. "I've been thinking about ways we can maybe trap that dog."

"Did you come up with anything?"

"It involves—"

"Lemme stop you there, and remind you that we have next to no budget."

His smile wavered. "I'll keep thinking."

"Yeah. Did Clark bring over a copy of the tape?" When he nodded, she moved past him to the computer. Maybe there was something they had missed, and watching a video required so much less effort than chasing a dog through town.

"I already watched it a few times. There's nothing there. The dogs don't wear collars. The terrier just wears that bandana."

"Bandana." Emma consulted her memory banks. She had seen a bandana recently and not on a dog. "David, do you know if there are shifters other than Ruby in town?"

"I guess it's possible." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't say no, but I also wouldn't know who they were."

She focused back in on the screen. "How would you like some pizza for lunch?"

He was more than willing, especially after Emma explained the pizza boy from the night before. This felt like a lead—or at least looked like a start, which was good enough in her book. Her enthusiasm curbed when she realized that she needed Regina’s help. She hadn’t paid attention to the pizza box, so she didn’t know from where Regina ordered.

She fiddled with her phone, conscious of David's eyes on her. She wanted to call Regina, and she needed to, but didn't know how to act. If she acted cool and distant, as if nothing had changed between them, she was risking Regina getting offended. If she let the fondness she felt bleed into her voice, Regina would be content, but David would be curious.

"Are you going to call?"

"Do you have to listen?" she asked miserably.

He gave her a queer look but shrugged. "I mean, I guess not."

"Okay."

"Okay." He hesitated and then nodded. He walked away, casting confused looks over his shoulder.

As soon as he was gone, she let the phone ring. Calling Regina was no big deal, she tried to convince herself. She'd done it dozens of times over the past few years. This was no different than calling to argue about Henry's custody arrangement.

"What part of 'I need space' do you fail to understand?"

Despite Regina's harsh words, Emma detected a hint of mirth. "I just had a question. Nothing about last night. Well, I mean it's about last night, but not like last night last night."

"Ms. Swan…"

"Where did you get the pizza from?"

"Pizza Parlor."

"Do you have a number?"

"You're really going to eat the same thing two meals in a row?"

"This is official police business," Emma shot back. "So, maybe, maybe not."

"You should have made yourself a lunch while you were at it this morning."

"The guy who delivered our pizza might be related to the series of dog-related thefts, ma'am. Your assistance in this matter is much appreciated," Emma stated, grinning widely—unaware that although David had walked away, he was still watching the conversation from afar.

"Good luck with your capers, Ms. Swan."

Emma tucked her phone away and schooled her face as blank as she could. Still, she had nowhere near Regina's level of self-control. She was still giddy from just a simple phone call with the brunette, and her lips twitched up at the corners. She wished she weren't so transparent, but the stronger she felt, the harder it was to put the emotion away.

"So."

"Yeah?"

"Is something going on?"

"With what?" She feigned ignorance and pulled a desk drawer open. There was probably something inside that she needed, so she spent a few minutes rooting through it as if she were on some sort of epic quest for the stapler. He watched her carefully, and she finally added, "With Regina? Don't be ridiculous."

"Snow said—"

"I don't care what Snow said."

"She said Regina looked happy."

Emma's desire to end the conversation faded. "She did? When?"

"She saw you two sleeping together. Well, technically you were asleep, but Regina was awake. She said Regina looked like… Well, like me." He leaned against the desk. "I know you're fully grown, so I won't try to tell you what to do.”

"Good. Thanks."

"But," he continued, "I think you owe it to yourself to see where it's going."

"You're not going to tell me to keep away from her?" Emma searched his steady gaze. "She's done awful things in the past."

"I was born a simple shepherd, Emma. Believe me when I say people are capable of great change." He set his hand on her upper arm and squeezed gently. "I know I don't always listen—"

"You know?" She couldn't help the incredulous tone her words took on. She flushed and looked away.

"If you want to talk about it, I know a thing or two about being bludgeoned over the head with love."

"Whoa, nobody said anything about love," Emma responded. Love was too big a concept to even start considering, and there was no way she loved Regina. Four platonic nights together did not have to mean anything whatsoever. She could admit that there was a fondness for Regina that hadn't existed before, but love? She couldn't admit that much.

"I just meant that—"

"Can we drop it for now?" She begged; she hadn't even figured out how she felt, which meant she was far from ready to discuss anything with anyone. "Let's just focus on this dog thing, okay?"

"Sure." Content to back down, especially when she looked so entirely uncomfortable with the whole situation, he rubbed his stomach. "Can I get my half sausage?"

"Half sausage, half pepperoni, then." She stood abruptly, eager to separate herself for a short time. "I'm going to go—uh—patrol. It's about that time, right?"

He wasn't sure she had a patrol schedule, but he wasn't going to call her on it. "Yes. Seems about that time."

She sped out of the station and practically threw herself into the cruiser. With the door shut, she could breathe without panicking. David was going to tell Snow, which meant that tomorrow was going to be awkward. She could just imagine the talking-to Snow would give her. Oh, Emma, I thought you were interested in Neal. Are you sure this is really what you should be doing? Did she curse you? We're going to get you through this. She rolled her eyes.

On the other hand, Snow had been almost too fervently interested in giving Regina credit for deeds done and opportunities for change. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Snow would surprise her and encourage her to follow her heart. That's what the Enchanted Forest seemed to be all about anyway.


	16. Chapter 16

At just after twelve-thirty, Regina set the sack lunch on her desk and fished the note out. She read it once more and tried to ignore the happiness that was bubbling in her stomach. Ms. Swan's hastily made meal would not be enough to make her smile. Despite her resolve, her lips quirked upward. Very well, she thought. At least there was no one around to see it.

"Madam Mayor?"

She immediately adopted a scowl and glared at her assistant. He was useful enough, except when it came to keeping Ms. Swan from barging into her office. He also seemed unable to knock himself; perhaps all he need was a lesson in etiquette. She lifted an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.

"Mr. Gold is here for his one o'clock."

She snorted. "So, tell him to come back at one o'clock."

The poor boy was sweating. She supposed Rumplestiltskin did have that effect on people. Those unused to his presence were ill at ease with all that came with him: the pressure of his intense magic, the sharp prickle of his gaze, and the unsettling emptiness of his smile. She waved a hand at her assistant.

"Very well. Tell him to come in, but he'd better keep it quick."

He disappeared, and moments later, she could hear the tell-tale clack of Gold's cane. She set her lunch aside, threw the note into a drawer, and waited for him to sit across from her. He balanced the cane on his fingers and stared at her.

"There's something wrong.”

"With?"

"Magic." He leaned forward. She had to say, she preferred him as Mr. Gold, if only so that his eyes once again looked human. He stopped fiddling with his cane which meant, she assumed, that he was serious about this. "There's something wrong with magic, and we're going to fix it."

This caught her attention and dragged her mind away from Emma almost immediately. "How do you know?"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed any of the strange things happening around town." He stared at her, and she got the creeping sensation he could see through her. "Wishes coming true, for one."

She paled but set her lips in a thin line in the hopes that he wouldn't notice the subtle change in her mien. "Don't be ridiculous. Magic here doesn't work that way."

"Apparently, it does now," he snapped. "There's been a shift in the balance of the powers that be. Something is upsetting the natural order."

"I fail to see what a few wishes having been granted—“

"Tell me, Regina… Have you made a wish recently?"

He had seen, she concluded and subsequently cursed herself for not having better control over her facial features. Her emotional reactions were often quicker than her ability to temper them. "I can't confirm or deny that. None that I've spoken out loud, certainly."

"Ah." He finally drew his gaze away from her face. "The artifacts in my shop are reacting in strange ways. Either we find a way to stop this, or I fear the town will sink into chaos."

"Do you know what caused it?"

"I'm investigating the effects of the barrier's break on our return to Storybrooke. All magic—"

"Comes with a price," she finished. "I am well aware. I still fail to see what you need me for."

"It would be best, I think, if you were to keep an eye on any strange happenings in town." He stood. "Set things right if you can, and buy me some time to find the source."

"I can do that," she responded, her mind already flitting through how exactly she was going to keep tabs on the town now that Sydney was incarcerated. She could free him, she supposed, but he wouldn't likely be very pleased with her or willing to assist her. Besides, the town still assumed he was responsible for Kathryn's disappearance.

As he passed through her doors, he glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, and dearie? Be careful what you wish for."

0-0-0

Emma entered the pizza place and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. She technically wasn't on duty, and this was strictly reconnaissance. She was picking up her pizza and didn't even have her cuffs on her. She glanced around, trying to get a sense of the place. It certainly didn't feel like a sinister den of misdeeds; it was warm, smelled great, and there was a chipper girl behind the register who greeted her with a smile.

"Welcome to Pizza Parlor. I'm Olivia. How can I help you?"

Emma tucked her hands into her pockets. "Picking up a pizza."

"Oh, you must be Sheriff Swan."

"Just Emma right now. Lunch break, y'know?" Emma approached the counter and leaned her elbow against it. The girl didn't seem offended as Emma's gaze roved the room, so Emma took everything in before turning back to her. "How much do I owe you?"

"Fifteen forty-three."

"Hey, now that I'm thinking about it," Emma started, digging through her pocket for her wallet. "We were a little short last time we had pizza here, and I'm afraid we stiffed the delivery boy. Any chance he's around?"

"Oh, you must mean Arthur." She glanced over her shoulder. "He's not here right now. He should be back in an hour or so. You could leave his tip here, and I'll make sure he gets it."

There was no good way to say, 'I think your delivery boy is a shape shifting dog thief,' so Emma just smiled grimly and threw a twenty onto the counter. "Give him the change, will you?"

"Sure." Olivia's thin fingers moved quickly, transferring the bill from the counter to the till. "It'll just be a moment."

"This is a real nice place," Emma forged onward, intent on making this visit worthwhile. "Who runs it?"

Olivia beamed and pointed to a framed newspaper article on the wall. "Mr. Fagin does."

Emma walked to the display and peered in. There was a picture of a rather seedy looking man shaking hands with Regina. He was grinning, but while Regina's eyes were on the camera, his were slanted sideways.

_Underdog Victory  
Sidney Glass_

_When Pizza Parlor reopened last year, few had hope that it would succeed. Most of the ovens were broken, the windows shattered, and the general property in ruin. Gerald Fagin, however, knew that the business was worth saving. Storybrooke, after all, needs its pizza, and Fagin was determined to deliver._

_After a rocky beginning, the orders came flying in faster than Fagin could bake. Fortunately, the neighborhood hurried to his aide: the children of the surrounding households volunteered their time in his kitchens. Payment came in the form of slices of pizza and sodas. From the brink of disaster, Fagin managed to save a failing business and unite a community._

_"He's certainly done wonders with the place," one enthusiast stated. Albert Spencer, known best for his work as the State's Attorney, claims he visits the pizza joint at least twice a month. When asked for comment, he had this to say: "The pizza is fine. His return ought to be sufficient, I would think." This is glowing praise from an otherwise stoic man._

_As of last Friday, the mayor recognized Pizza Parlor as one of the best fast food restaurants in town. This writer went in for a slice and was not disappointed. If you haven't yet sampled Pizza Parlor, do so immediately._

Emma turned at the sound of Olivia's voice and managed a smile. "So, are you one of the neighborhood kids?"

She shook her head and slid the pizza box into Emma's hands. "Artie and I live with him. He's not our poppa, but he takes care of us."

Emma glanced around once more. Something just didn't feel right to her, and she was in the habit of following her gut. Rather than leave she met Olivia's gaze and tried to smile. "Hey, any chance Mr. Fagin is around?"

"He's in his office."

"Think he can spare a moment?"

"I can check."

Olivia practically skipped into the back room. Emma truly hoped she wasn't a part of whatever it was that was going on here. It could be money laundering, she thought, as that would explain the sudden success. But it didn't cover the petty theft. Talking to the owner would hopefully clear up some of her questions.

"He said he has a few minutes, if you're quick." Olivia reappeared. She gestured to the backrooms. "Think you can find it yourself?"

"Finding people is what I'm good at. Thanks for the pizza, kid."

"Thank you for dining at Pizza Parlor," she responded brightly. "We hope you come again soon."

Emma ducked into the backroom and rapped her knuckles on the door labeled MANAGER. When there was no response, she called out and pushed the door open. The man from the picture was huddled over his desk, head bent and posture rather defeated. He didn't strike Emma as a successful businessman. Instead, he seemed a moment away from a mental breakdown. His head popped up nervously.

"Ah, Sheriff Swan. Uh, er, what can I do for you this very fine day? Is something wrong with the pizza?"

"I haven't had any yet."

This answer alarmed him; he leaped to his feet and clasped his hands in front of him. His smile was wide, toothy, and disingenuous. The papers he had been studying so arduously were pushed aside—out of her view—and she was hustled outside.

"You'll have to let me know what you think after you've had a slice."

Emma returned to the station, brain churning. Something was definitely amiss at Pizza Parlor, but she couldn't put her finger on what. It wasn't the business, but rather Fagin himself. The man was unnaturally anxious about something. Whatever was bothering him might be linked somehow to the animal thievery, especially if Arthur turned out to be connected to the bandana-wearing dog. Still, with no evidence and no clear idea of what was happening, she could hardly obtain a warrant, and Regina would really frown on breaking and entering.

She'd just have to do some more investigating, she determined. In the meantime, she had a hungry father waiting for his pizza and a long family bonding event the following day. She couldn't muster the energy to be properly excited for whatever Snow had planned. It would, no doubt, be something Snow loved and Emma would bear for the sake of Snow's happiness. She just hoped it didn't involve making cookies, dressing up, or going anywhere. She worked hard enough on weekdays that she just wanted to kick back on weekends.

She bet that she would be able to relax at Regina's. The brunette might have even made her some sort of coffee bright and early on Saturday morning. Emma would spend the morning in bed, maybe watching a movie or television show, and Regina would do a crossword beside her. When Henry woke up, he'd crawl in with them and play his handheld device until Emma began to tickle him. There would be an unspoken pact that they would suddenly turn on Regina, who would look furious at first but then proceed to beat them into giggling submission-

"Em?"

"Huh?"

"You coming inside?"

Emma cleared her fantasy from her mind and stepped past David into the station. She didn't know how long she had been standing outside with her mouth slightly agape, but it was certainly long enough to draw attention.

0-0-0

As she sat at the dinner table, Regina lost herself in thought. Henry was telling her about his newest science project—something about decorating a cereal box with information about an ecosphere—but she could barely concentrate. She had wished Emma's problem would never dissipate, and with Gold's warning, it was very possible she was the reason Emma still wasn't sleeping well. Which meant Emma's feelings for her, whatever they may be, were fabricated and based on something that simply wasn't real. Emma didn't need her to sleep. She had just wished it to be so.

"Mom? Everything okay?"

She glanced up at Henry and managed a rather pursed smile. "Yes, dear. Everything's fine. It was just a long day at work. I apologize for my inattention. Tell me again about your project."

For a long moment, he was silent. His eyes roved her face, and she was worried that he'd be able to read straight through her façade and determine the real reason for her distraction. To ease his mind, she took a solid bite of the breaded chicken she’d cooked. Her sudden attention to her meal did make the question fade from his eyes, but his curiosity persisted.

"Is this about Emma?"

"Of course not. Why would anything I'm feeling have to do with Ms. Swan?"

"You used to look like that a lot when she first came to town, and you hated her."

"I never hated Ms. Swan. I resented your draw to her, perhaps, but I always enjoyed the challenge she presented."

"So, why do you look so mad now?"

"If I'm mad, Henry, it's at myself."

"Are you mad because you scared her away?"

She frowned. "No. I didn’t do that."

"Then why isn't she here for dinner?"

She swallowed and reached for her water glass. "Because she has her own family as well as ours, Henry."

"But they're our family, too."

"I know, Henry. But we don't always have to do everything together."

He sighed and pushed his meal around his plate with his fork. She understood the sentiment and wanted to echo it, but she was supposed to be figuring out her feelings, not commiserating with him. So they both missed Emma's presence in the house. It didn't necessarily mean anything other than Emma had been around a lot and that she was gregarious. Of course it felt empty without her around, Regina concluded, because she took up so much space.

"But it was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was," she conceded. "But she can't be here every waking moment of the day."

"I know…"

From the sudden downward turn of his tone, she determined that there was something deeper on his mind. She set her cutlery down and leaned onto her elbows. "If there's something you want to talk about, I'm more than willing to discuss it with you."

"It kinda felt… I dunno…" He stared up at her, and she was reminded of a guilty puppy's expression. He had inherited that from Baelfire, she expected, because the man had wrought a good deal of harm yet was still in Emma's good graces. He had to have some secret weapon that made Emma forgive and forget. "I just felt like we were kinda just right with it being the three of us. Is that weird?"

"Not at all. Ms. Swan is your mother as much as I am. It's natural you should want her to be consistently in your life."

He felt like she was missing the point and sighed deeply once more. "I guess."

Unwilling to fail him, she forged onward. "If I've misunderstood, you just need to correct me, Henry."

"You look happy when she's here, and it makes the whole house feel better."

Henry was nearly certain that Regina wanted Emma around as much as he did; she was just a bit cleverer in concealing it. She'd say things like, oh, it's best for you to have her nearby, or the Sheriff was just dropping something off—but he could read between the lines. They were excuses so that nobody knew how much Regina really wanted Emma in the house. She was used to protecting herself, he figured, and that was alright, but he was her son, and she didn't have to hide from him.

He caught her gaze and smiled sadly. "I know I can talk to you and all, but you just never talk to me."

While he waited for his words to sink in—he had learned the subtle manipulation from her—he returned to his half-eaten meal. By the time he looked up, pouting as hard as he could, she had nearly cracked. He could tell from the glimmer in her eye and the twitch of her lips. Just a bit more, he thought, and she'd share with him. He was practically an adult and had been through so much in his meager twelve and a half years that he was just an old man in a kid's body. She could rely on him.

"Sometimes the things I deal with are… a bit more than I would want you to deal with, sweetheart."

He reached across the table, his eyes serious and somber. "You can trust me, Mom."

"I know I can trust you," she responded, placing her hand over his. "But you also have to trust me."

He pulled out of her grasp and resumed picking at his food. That was the problem. She was always expecting too little of him. He'd understand, even if it was something wild like being in love with Emma. He snorted a bit and ate his vegetables. They were friends now, but love? The thought made him laugh.


	17. Chapter 17

As soon as she was in her room and utterly alone, Emma pulled the stolen pillow case out from the interior of her jacket and laid it across her pillow. She resisted the urge to smell it right away, instead heading to the set of drawers where her pajamas lived. She discarded her jeans and pulled a soft green tank top on; then, she could resist no longer. Once more making sure that nobody had snuck in while she was distracted, she curled up in bed and inhaled slowly.

This wasn't going to help her think clearly, but she wasn’t going to fall asleep without something to ease her out of wakefulness. Regina was a crutch, but she just couldn't bear putting any weight on her injury. She'd heal up eventually, but for now, she'd do whatever it took to relieve the ill-feelings. Although, a small niggling voice at the back of her mind murmured, she didn't really want to be able to sleep without Regina.

That was part of the problem. Regina was some sort of security blanket, and Emma had reached an age where such things were frowned on. She couldn't help that Regina's bed was comfortable or that Regina's arms fit so nicely around her body. These were factors outside her control. It was Regina's fault. Regina made it too damn easy to sleep with her.

Emma sniffed again. The scent had helped her before, but now, all it did was quiet the jangling of her nerves. Please, she begged. There was no alternative that night. She couldn't go crawling back to Regina's bed, not when the brunette had asked for space. She jammed her eyes shut, counted down from one hundred, and willed herself forcefully to just sleep.

Across town, Regina stared at the ceiling. This was ridiculous. If she had wished this predicament into existence, she ought to be able to wish it to end. She remained stock still in bed for twenty minutes repeating the phrase: I wish I did not need Ms. Swan to sleep, nor she me. 

No matter how many times she chanted it silently, she remained awake and disgruntled. All magic came with a price, and apparently, wishing for Ms. Swan's company at night cost her a little bit of her sanity. She pulled a pillow over her face and groaned.

She was greatly unused to depending on others in such an intimate way. As queen, she became quite skilled at delegation of duties in that she trusted her troops to carry out her wishes. However, the more important a task was, the more likely she would do it herself. She'd never been afraid of getting her hands dirty, which made this all the more frustrating. There was literally nothing she could do in order to lull herself to sleep. Without Emma, she was doomed to a night of insomnia.

Growling, she reached for her cell phone. This was a moment of weakness, but it was more proper than simply showing up outside Emma's bedroom. Determined to sleep, she hit dial before she could come up with some sort of legitimate reason for calling in the first place. It rang twice, and then, Emma's tired voice filled her ears. She tried rather hard not to smile.

"Regina?"

"Ms. Swan. I realize that we had mutually decided to give one another space-"

"Oh be quiet," Emma stated with a small laugh. "Tell yourself whatever excuses you have to. I'm glad you called."

"I wasn't trying to—"

"Tell me about your day," Emma cut in.

"It was rather bland," Regina began. This was the most domestic conversation she'd had in a good many years, but it made her heart hammer as if they were discussing something private rather than the pedestrian events of her Friday. She guided Emma through the mundane details of everything but her meeting with Gold, afraid that this would certainly lead to a discussion of their unique situation. "And yours?"

"There's something fishy going on at Pizza Parlor."

"That's the anchovies, dear."

"Oh, haha. I didn't realize you were such a comedienne." Emma clutched the phone to her ear and closed her eyes. She could pretend that way that Regina was right next to her, rather than several miles away. "But seriously. I went back to talk to the guy who runs the joint, and he was really antsy about something he didn't want me looking into. I wish you coulda seen how shifty the whole thing was."

Regina winced. "Perhaps you should rethink wishing for things right now."

"Why's that?"

"Mr. Gold came to see me," Regina responded. Her loose tongue had ruined her plans, so she found herself grudgingly explaining: "I'm not sure I want to go into details just yet, but there's something amiss with the magic in town. Some wishes have come true. The results don't seem catastrophic yet, but that might only be because nobody has realized what's happening. I don't know which wishes have come true, or which will in the future, but you should watch how you phrase things. Please."

"I bet Henry wished for pizza yesterday. That's why you let him have some a day early."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you to make light of a serious situation."

"It's called being optimistic, and it runs in my family."

"I thought it skipped a generation."

Emma flushed but couldn't stop the words from tumbling from her lips, "I grew into it about four days ago."

She set the phone on the mattress next to her pillow and set it to speakerphone. She settled her cheek against the pillowcase as they talked and tried to ignore how comfortable this was. It wasn't ideal, in that Regina wasn't actually next to her, but it was close enough. It didn't matter what Regina said to her, even, just as long as the brunette kept talking. Regina’s voice was almost hypnotic. Comforting.

"Have you been thinking?" she asked suddenly before her brain could get ahead of her tongue and warn her that this might not be the best course of action.

"Of course I've been thinking, Ms. Swan. Not all of us have the luxury of turning our brains off at will."

"About…" Emma trailed off, unsure of what to call whatever it was they were supposed to be considering.

"Us?" Regina supplied.

"Yeah. About us. Or whether there could be an ‘us.’"

"We agreed to talk on Sunday, Ms. Swan."

Emma sighed. "Yeah. But it was worth a shot, wasn't it?"

"Is it truly so miserable sleeping alone?" Regina cringed at the thought of her wish being so potent. If she couldn't undo it soon, she'd have to put her foot down on Sunday. Or, and this was an option she wanted to avoid at all costs, they would have to talk to Gold. He knew about the wishes, after all, so he might know a way to counteract the effects.

Then again, he did come to her in order to contain the effects, which might mean he couldn't fix it either. Ms. Swan might be stuck using her as a teddy bear until death. She tried her hardest to think of that as a bad thing and missed Emma's response to her question. Rather than backtrack and admit she wasn't listening, she changed the subject.

"Henry's working on a science project. I thought perhaps you would enjoy assisting him."

Regina thought back to the myriad afternoons she'd spent helping Henry with his letters when he was in first grade, before he'd realized the town was cursed. He had been so very tiny and so very desperate for her attention. That was where she had gone wrong. He had wanted her, and instead, she gave him some picture-perfect version of a mother. They had both known it to be hollow, and she knew now how damaging it had been to their relationship.

"Does it involve science?"

"I suppose. But that's his responsibility. He's supposed to decorate a cereal box, and I know you are artistically inclined. It just seemed natural for you to help."

"Are you going to be there, too?"

Regina shifted the phone to her other ear. "I could be."

"I think you should be. With just me at the helm, we'll probably end up playing table football in like twenty minutes. You're the focus," Emma murmured. She was slowly but surely falling asleep; she fought to remain awake through the end of the conversation, though. "So yeah, you gotta…"

"Shall I let you sleep?"

"Would you stay on the line?"

"For how long?"

Emma shrugged. "I dunno…"

"Very well," Regina responded, making sure to sigh just loud enough that Emma knew this was a favor and not something she desperately wanted herself. "Next you'll be asking for a lullaby."

"Would you?"

"No."

Emma laughed tiredly. "Would you like one?"

"Don't tell me lullaby singing is another of your hidden, but valueless, talents."

"Oh, no. I've got a pretty awful singing voice, but I just thought I'd offer."

"Go to sleep, Emma."

"Okay, okay." Emma shut her eyes. After a moment of silence, Regina began to hum Emma’s tune, and Emma fell asleep.

Regina sat for a short while listening to Emma's soft inhalations. They were comforting in the same way Henry had found the rumble of the dishwasher comforting when he was three months old. She used to stand in front of it, him in her arms, and sway back and forth until he finally stopped fussing and fell asleep. The white noise helped dull much of her worry about her role in Emma's sleeplessness.

"I might have ruined your life twice over, Ms. Swan. I cannot regret the first, as it gave me Henry—gave us Henry—but this time… My wish may have forced you into wanting a relationship with me when you might be very happy with that big, dumb, lovable oaf as you call him. Or the pirate. I don't know.

"I was aware that I had a certain draw to your presence when you showed up at my door. Perhaps I shouldn't have let you in. Perhaps I shouldn't have enjoyed your arm around my waist, or the snug coziness of my bed as long as you were in it. I should never have wished for your insomnia.

"You want me to think about the possibility of us together, but how can I when your feeling is predicated on a wish I made for your misery? I have no right to claim a place in your life. I should simply tell you about my wish… but does it make me evil to still, after all of this, want you to want me? Can I have one more night in your arms before I have to break everything?"

She paused and wiped at the tears prickling in her eyes. She wasn't meant to be happy. She had known that for some time now. The world needed a balance of good and evil to function properly, and she was the requisite evil. Villains, after all, didn't get happy endings.

Emma awoke a few hours later and discovered that it was Regina quietly murmuring that drew her from her sleep. She wondered how long the nearly silent monologue had been going on and knew she had to make her presence known before Regina revealed something she didn't want Emma to actually hear.

"Regina?"

All at once the rambling halted. "Ms. Swan, I thought I told you to go to sleep."

"I did sleep for a bit. I guess it's just not the same without you here, or me there, or whatever." Emma rubbed at her eyes. "I mean, it helps, knowing you're there, but I just… is it too soon to say I really miss you?"

"It's too foolish…" Regina cut herself off and sighed. "We need space, Ms. Swan."

"To think."

"Yes."

"I don't know if I can do more than a night of this. Clutching a pillow to my chest isn't really like clutching you to my chest." Emma's cheeks flared, but she barreled onward. "I'll give you whatever space and time that you need, of course, but I'm just going to put that out there. I'm capable of just sleeping, y'know?"

"I'm not capable of thinking clearly when you're nearby," Regina admitted. "Which is why I need space. Any proximity to you addles my brain."

"I know the feeling." Emma grinned and ran a hand through her hair. "Okay. Well. I know we said Sunday, but any chance we could do this phone thing again tomorrow night?"

Regina ran her finger down the length of her cell phone. She'd left it sitting on the pillow Emma would have been using if Emma were there, and not using her chest instead. "I… would like that."

"Me, too." Emma swallowed awkwardly. "So, was there anything you wanted to talk about tonight? I mean, not necessarily about me, or you, or any combination of that, but… you were talking to me before… Wanna try while I'm actually listening?"


	18. Chapter 18

Regina considered the offer. 

She wondered how much damage would actually be wrought if she spoke her mind. Emma was willing to listen, but she wasn't yet aware of what Regina had to say. Mind jumbled, she looked for the right words to decline without sounding curt or impolite. Emma deserved more than a snappy no, given the circumstances.

It was entirely strange that Ms. Swan had rocketed so far up in her estimation. When it came to those around her, Regina cared little for the feelings and reactions of others, but here she was, trying to come up with a way to let Emma down easy. She understood Emma's desire for a stronger connection between them, a sharing of trust, but she also was extremely hesitant to open that door. Emma might want more, and she was certainly not ready to have a bosom buddy.

This was already a bit too much like a slumber party for her comfort. She didn't share her secrets, and she didn't let anyone past the outer barriers of her heart. There was too much lurking in the dark shadows of her heart, no matter how much light had recently pierced it. 

Still, confiding in someone might ease the worry... A burden was lighter when it was carried by two people. She licked her lips, hating how tempted she was to share this bit of herself with Emma.

No, she told herself, she had to resist the temptation. Opening up was a slippery slope, and she had long ago learned that no secret once told to anyone remained a secret for long. She wanted to work through this on her own, first, and then she would face Emma in the morning. With her decision made, she frowned and sighed.

Rather than the gentle denial she was planning, her traitorous mouth said, "I might have wished for your insomnia."

Emma was quiet a moment. She gnawed on her lower lip, thinking about the implications, and then asked, "But when did the wishes-do-come-true b.s. start?"

"Mr. Gold failed to mention that tidbit of information." Regina pressed her thumb and middle finger against the inner corners of her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Because my sleeping problem started like right after we got here."

"But I might have made it worse and…"

"And?"

Regina stared up at the ceiling. "And your feelings are based on a fictitious need for my presence."

"That's not true," Emma insisted, but her tone trailed off. It was possible, if improbable. But what she felt wasn't foreign or strange. Would she even know if she was in essence cursed to feel a particular way? She wracked her brain for answers but found none. "So, what do we do?"

"We wait for Gold to return with an answer as to why the wishes are coming true."

"So, maybe this is off topic, but why would you wish for my insomnia?"

"It weakens your position in Henry's life."

Emma snorted. "Seriously. Why?"

Regina gritted her teeth and refused to answer. "Good night, Ms. Swan."

Recognizing that she had indeed pushed as far as she could for one evening, Emma yawned and settled back down. "Sure there's nothing else you want to talk about?"

"I'll tell you a story, as my voice seems to lull you asleep."

"Totally does at meetings," Emma joked. She closed her eyes. "This is different, though. And I don't want you worrying about this wish thing, okay? If it was your wish, I'm not unhappy. Your wish made us both happy, right? What's the big deal?"

"The big deal, Ms. Swan, is that you deserve a choice, and I cannot take that from you."

"Can I tell you a story? Instead of you telling me one?"

"Could I really stop you?" Regina kept her voice steady, but her hand curled tightly against her pillow. She was tentative about hearing Emma's story, as she was sure it would somehow relate to their current situation and make her feel worse instead of better as Ms. Swan clearly intended. Still, she'd let Emma have a shot.

"If you don't want it…"

"I do."

"When I was seven, there was this pack of second graders that used to follow me around at recess and bully me. They were just a bit bigger than I was, and there were four of them to the one of me, so I had to sit there and let them scream at me. The yelling wasn't bad, but then one day, one of them figured out that they could hit me."

"And you didn't simply tell an adult."

"If you had my childhood, you'd know that adults weren't really there to help you," Emma replied, her voice tilting up in laughter.

"What's your point, Ms. Swan?"

"My point is that I was stuck in this situation where every day I was dropped off for school, and every day, I had to sit through this emotional and physical torture. It was inevitable week after week. But I started thinking: I can let them hit me, or I can find a way to fight back."

Regina nodded. This was the Emma she was accustomed to. "So, you learned to fight and beat them?"

"Oh, no. I got my ass handed to me every day for a year."

"I'm afraid I really don't understand."

"It didn't matter that they kept winning. I was fighting for myself. I was stuck in this awful situation, but I was doing something about it. I had agency, Regina, and I still do."

Emma sat for a few minutes listening to Regina breathe. She was damn tired and on the brink of falling back asleep, but she needed to hear some sort of confirmation from the brunette that the message had been received. It had been an almost painful story to tell because she could still feel the barbed words prickling her skin. The physical damage had healed, but the emotional trauma was still just a few short jibes under the surface.

While she waited, she counted the cracks in the ceiling and tried to pace her breathing with her heart beat—anything to keep her mind from overthinking things. Regina couldn't know that the story was that important to her, she rationalized, and so might dismiss it. It didn't mean anything. Nothing at all. She bit down on her wrist to keep from breathing too quickly or loudly.

Things had gotten better in the years after she learned to defend herself. She wasn't easy prey any longer, so the bullies had gotten bored and moved onto smaller students who cried more readily. The slurs came from other directions, when the children left her alone. They weren't nearly as direct as second graders who lacked tact; teachers made subtle comments about her parents, which made other students stay away from her. Being an orphan wasn't contagious, she had complained to no avail.

"I'm still not sure," Regina finally whispered. Her voice was nearly inaudible, but Emma was desperate for any response and so caught the words.

"About?"

"I refuse to take your choice from you, Ms. Swan." Regina cleared her throat. "We will talk on Sunday."

"Yeah, okay…" Emma couldn't quite hide the disappointment from her voice, but at least Regina was willing to talk. That meant there was still a chance, and she was going to fight for it. That's what she was used to doing, anyway: finding something she wanted and fighting like hell for it.

0-0-0

Regina woke with the sun beating down on her face, which was strange as her alarm was scheduled to ring before sunrise. She wiped the sleep from her eyes, yawned, and grabbed her phone. The alarm hadn't gone off because the battery was dead. And that was probably a direct result of not hanging up on Ms. Swan. Although she was hours late and ought to be worried about everything she could have been doing, she felt fairly rested. It was Saturday, so she couldn't complain. It didn't sound as though Henry was up, so she still had time to take a hot shower and prep his breakfast.

She wouldn't be seeing Ms. Swan that day, and that gave her ample opportunity to sort through her feelings, especially after all the information Emma had given her the night before. Thoughts were bum-tumbling through her mind, and conflicting with one another.

A list would be prudent. She would make a list of all the reasons to date Ms. Swan and all the reasons to simply walk away. Once it was compiled, she could add points to each reason, and whichever side had the greater balance would be her decision. This made her feel a bit better and less confused, so she swung out of bed and practically floated into the bathroom.

The hot water of the shower sufficed to wake her the rest of the way up. She slid her hands down her body, slathering soap as she went, and then frozen as her fingers grazed the sensitive skin of her thighs. She shouldn't, she reprimanded herself. She was already confused about what she wanted from Ms. Swan and touching herself would only muddy the waters further. Her fingers trembled.

Henry would be up shortly, she tried, but her brain shook the thought away. He wouldn't disturb her in the bathroom. Maybe if she could ease the demanding ache, it would be easier to consider Emma from an emotional distance.

While her mind was busy warring over what she should or should not do, her fingers slid up her legs and nestled against her clit. This was wrong, she thought but made no effort to stop herself. This was purely a physical release and had nothing to do with her mercurial emotions. She did not think about Emma's arms, or wonder if Emma was strong enough to lift her onto the counter tops in the kitchen.

From there, she couldn't stop it; she imagined Emma doing that and then forcefully unbuttoning her slacks. Emma would rake nails down her thighs and press feather-light kisses to her knee caps. She rubbed herself slowly in a circle, picturing Emma's hair mussed from her clenched hand and Emma’s lust-blown pupils. She could have had this, if she'd let Emma in. Her strokes became more frantic.

Emma would take her time because the blonde woman was petulant and playful. If Regina wanted it quickly, Emma would purposely tease her until she screamed. That was part of the allure, after all: Emma was the only one who was strong enough to blatantly stand up against her. They were like two mountain goats constantly bashing heads. Her fantasy took a sudden turn as she began to wonder what dominating Emma would be like.

Their coupling would be a struggle, but Regina was practiced in bringing men and women to their knees. If she didn't want to be toyed with, she'd make Emma acquiesce and please her. She was Queen and deserved to have her wishes carried out. She thought about forcing Emma's head between her thighs and slipped a finger inside herself.

When she came, she fell back against the shower wall and sat there panting. She braced herself against the slick surface and tried desperately to catch her breath. It was just once, she told herself, and it didn't mean anything. Despite her intentions, though, it had done little to push Emma from her mind. All she could think about now was what Emma would look like in the throes of passion.

0-0-0

"Mom? Why are my eggs burnt?" Henry poked his meal with his fork and let a deep frown scar his face. Emma made better breakfast, but he wasn't used to Regina completely botching a meal. She might be sick, he considered, but that was no excuse for her to ruin his eggs.

She glanced up from her own singed food and met his confused gaze. "My apologies, Henry. My mind has been elsewhere."

"Can you make me new ones?"

Nodding, she picked his plate up and carried it back to the stove. Conscious this time of the length of time she had his eggs on the pan, she scrambled them appropriately and slid another batch in front of him. He made a small grunt of approval and began to eat in earnest. Normally, the lack of a thank-you would have spurred some sort of reprimand, but Regina's mind had already wandered off once more.

"Mom?"

Drawn back to reality again, she sighed. "Yes, Henry?"

"Can I go down to the park with some of the guys?"

"To do what?"

"I dunno. Hang out?"

"Who'll be there?"

He shrugged. He knew he couldn't tell her how one of the other boys had found a box of magazines in the closet, and every boy in the neighborhood was rallying together over the treasure. She'd kill the fun instantly. So, in order to protect the sanctity of his fraternity, he lied.

"Just me and, like, Pete. Maybe Pete's brothers."

Regina recalled the slim, pale boy as the son of a fisherman in the Forest. He was fairly harmless, if a little prone to illness. She couldn't imagine him doing anything to lead Henry down the wrong path, so she nodded her assent.

"You must be back by dinner."

"Will Emma be here?"

The hope in his eyes was almost painful, and she hated shaking her head no.


	19. Chapter 19

Emma took a hearty bite of her oatmeal as her eyes tracked Snow's course around the kitchen. The brunette was practically singing, albeit rather quietly. The first part of the day had been waking Emma up asininely early for a brisk walk through the town just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Emma and Charming had both been in agreement: there was no reason to be up so early on a Saturday, but Snow was not to be deterred.

There was nothing quite like brisk morning air, she insisted, and it would set them off to a great start for a great family day. Emma had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. She had slipped into the shower when they returned, which thankfully provided her forty minutes of blissful alone time. She wasn't sure when that would happen again, at least until Sunday.

"So, I was thinking that the first thing we could do with our day is decorate the apartment."

Emma searched her mind for the nearest holiday and came up blank. "For what?"

"It's about time we took some family pictures," Snow clarified. "We're finally all together, and there's no deadly threat against our very existences. So, why not?"

"I'm not photogenic," Emma tried.

Having none of it, Snow shook her head. "I've already asked Ruby to come over and help."

Emma set her chin on the table and resigned herself to her fate. Having a family came with responsibilities. She doubted Regina would force her through such torture. There were pictures of Regina and Henry around the manor, but they were mostly candid shots. Posing felt so impersonal and fake, but Snow seemed so dead-set that Emma wasn't going to complain, at least not verbally.

"As long as there are no matching sweaters, I guess I can do that."

Snow's smile faltered. "Of course not."

When Ruby showed up a short while later, Emma had begrudgingly put on the matching sweater, which was red and gold. Emma wished that Ruby wouldn't send her such pitying looks. The lithe young woman leaned against the wall, a camera resting in one hand and a sad smile pulling on her lips. Emma discretely glared at her until Snow caught her eye.

"Something the matter?"

"Nothing." Emma averted her gaze and smiled at Snow. "Can we just, uh, do this?"

Snow took her hands. "Thank you so much for doing this. I know it might feel a bit strange, but the best way to be a family is to just be one. Right?"

"You're the family expert, not me."

"I know you'd rather be with Regina right now," Snow responded, casting her eyes down and adopting a wounded pose. 

Emma groaned and stepped closer. "I promised you family day, and that's what I'm giving you."

"But what's one day? We've missed a lifetime of days." Snow turned her large, woeful eyes on Emma. "I regret every day that I sent you away… I didn't get to hold you for more than a moment, and now you're too big to hold."

"I know things are different than you wanted, but we kinda just have to deal with things as they are." Emma shifted uncomfortably, keenly aware that they had an audience. "Maybe we could talk about this later? As a family?"

Snow beamed. "I'd like that."

Relief filtered through Emma's system. She had little interest in rehashing everything so that Snow could feel better, but she had even less interest in Ruby overhearing. She stood awkwardly as Snow set a hand on her waist and David threw an arm around her shoulder. Although she was able to muster a smile, she thought it must look pained. When Snow checked the camera after the shot, however, she made no comment about the state of Emma's face; she simply cooed over the picture and gave Ruby her next directions.

0-0-0

Regina stared down at her phone. She had a million fake emergencies on the tip of her tongue but no excuse to use them. She could free Emma from family day with a single dial, but she hesitated. Emma might appreciate the rescue, but that would be overstepping her boundaries. Saving Emma was something a girlfriend might do, Regina reasoned, but not the other mother of her son. She didn't want Emma to get the wrong idea.

Before she could call and perhaps make a mistake, she shoved the cell away and grabbed a pad of paper. At the top, she scrawled two categories in flawless cursive: PROs on the left and CONs on the right.

1\. Loyal  
2\. Hardworking  
3\. Faithful

She paused, feeling like she were talking about a dog instead of a woman. Even if it felt foolish, she knew she needed this list to be an actual reflection of how she felt. Gritting her teeth, she tried again.

4\. Beautiful  
5\. Arms  
6\. Potentially great partner  
7\. Understands my past  
8\. Accepts me as I am

There was more, she was sure, but she wanted this to be a well-rounded list, so she flipped to the other side of the paper and nibbled on the rear of the pen. Some of the concerns came a bit quicker than she would have liked.

1\. Bullheaded  
2\. Henry might not understand  
3\. We disagree  
4\. Snow White  
5\. We would never be accepted  
6\. Henry if we broke up  
7\. Could just be a crush  
8\. Might be my wish

She tapped the pen against the paper and sighed. It was hardly extensive or exhaustive, but her main points were there in front of her. Emma was incredibly alluring and attractive, but the situation was complicated and difficult to navigate. If only they existed in a vacuum.

She set the list aside, cursing how little it had done to straighten out her thoughts, and stared out the window. The sun was shining, but she knew it probably wasn't very warm out. Fall and winter were deceptive; even when the sun was bright, the air was cold. As a child, she'd fallen prey to the thought that because it looked nice, it must be nice, when the opposite was true.

She was getting the feeling that a relationship with Ms. Swan would be much the same. It would look enticing, but whatever developed would be a frigid winter day. She stood, unable to sulk in her own thoughts much longer, and padded down the hall toward Henry's room. She was aware that he was going out sooner or later but hoped to catch him before he did.

"Henry?"

"Just a second!" There was a series of crashes and clatters behind his door. She was reaching for the handle when he pulled it open and smiled widely. "What's up, Mom?"

"What's going on in there?"

He shrugged. "I was just cleaning my room."

"May I speak with you?"

He flushed. "Uh… sure?"

She stepped past him and took a seat on the edge of his bed. He followed behind her, nerves making his hands fidget. When she was quiet, he cleared his throat and fumbled with the hem of his shirt.

"Henry-"

"I don't know what they told you, but it's probably not true."

"What?"

"This isn't about history?"

"I'm unaware of anything about your history class. Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

He smiled in what he hoped was an innocent and benign sort of way. "Nope. It was some of the other guys. You wanted to talk?"

She stored that piece of information away for a later date. "I realize this may be inappropriate for me to discuss with you, but I feel that you should know."

"Are you sick?" He clutched at her hand, worry filling his gaze. "Because-"

"I'm not sick, Henry." Although, she thought, an argument could be made to that effect, as normal, sane people did not have silly requited crushes on the daughters of their mortal enemies. As she did have that ailment, she supposed she couldn't be completely healthy. "I am merely reaching a… a turning point in our lives."

"Menopause?" He wrinkled his nose. "I mean, I thought that's when ladies got older, and you're still like thirty, right? But maybe because you spent like thirty years in stasis, your body kept going? So, you're really like sixty?"

"Henry," she cut in, "I'm not menopausal, but thank you for your concern."

"Oh. Then what's the big deal?"

"The relationship I have with Ms. Swan is complicated, as you well know."

"Are you guys fighting again? Because I really didn't like that period of my life."

"Henry," she interrupted again and caught his gaze. "If you'd let me finish, I'd tell you. We aren't fighting. We are actually getting along quite well."

"O…kay…?" He tilted his head to the side. "So why is this inappropriate to talk to me about?"

"Because I have developed… feelings for Ms. Swan," Regina finally gritted out. "And because anything that may occur between us will have a direct impact on your life, I thought it best to get your feedback."

"Feelings," he repeated. "Like… Touchy-feely feelings?"

"Yes."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Like, you'd-wanna-kiss-her feelings?"

Regina sighed. "Yes."

"And you're telling me this… why?"

"You're a part of both our lives, Henry. If something were to happen where things were no longer peaceable between us, you would be in the middle. I cannot make a decision that puts your happiness at risk."

"Mom, I'm pretty much thirteen now," he stated, rounding up and straightening his spine to look taller. "I can take care of myself. I think I can handle a little animosity – 'cause that's where you two started."

"So, you'd be okay if Ms. Swan and I began to see one another."

He snorted. "Look, Mom, I could go on trying to convince you that, really, I'll be totally fine, but I know you're not going to believe me."

Affronted, she pressed a hand to her chest. "I have no idea what you're implying."

"Mom. I'm just saying that sometimes you see something good that you want, and then you look for excuses not to have it—because, I dunno, you think you'll break it. But you're not a bull in an antique store. I think you can have nice things."

She stared at him, unsure if she should be offended that he likened to her a wild beast loose in civilization. Realizing that she missing the point of his speech, she focused once more. "Thank you for your feedback."

"Now, can I please go outside?" He bounced on the balls of his feet, a mannerism that was so like Emma that Regina's heart beat a bit faster.

It was strange that he wanted to go outside. He much preferred surfing the internet and reading rather than running about in the bright light of day. He called it homework, but she'd checked his browsing history in the past, and he spent more time looking at pictures of fast cars than he did on any sort of scholarly website. Still, she wasn't going to complain about his new-found interest in the outdoors.

"Remember to wear a jacket. The temperature is dropping quickly."

"There's no snow on the ground," he hedged.

"It's still below freezing. Wear a jacket, or stay inside. Your choice." She got to her feet and opened her arms. Obediently, he folded into her hug and remained for a good several seconds before he remembered how old he was and jerked back.

He tugged his jacket on obediently, if a little petulantly, and then hurried outside before she could change her mind. He sprinted down the street, five minutes late but hoping that there was still something left when he got there. Thankfully, most of the other boys were chronically later than he was, so he got to the park and found Pete's older brother sitting atop a cardboard box with only two other boys around him. Henry lifted his hand in greeting and jogged over.

"Hey Markus." His eyes drifted down to the box. "Is this it?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you get 'em?"

Markus balanced his elbows against his knees as he leaned forward. "It was the weirdest thing. So, a couple of nights ago Petey and Alf and me were in the backyard with our parents, and there was this shooting star or whatever. Mom, being such a sap, was like, 'Oh, boys, make a wish!' So, y'know, just to spite her, I thought to myself, 'I wish for a ton of porn.' And then the next morning, this was sitting at the back of my closet."

"You wished, and it came true?" Henry's eyes couldn't have stretched any wider.

"Yeah. Next shooting star I see, I'm gonna wish for something better."

Henry didn't want to think about what Markus would deem a better wish. "But why are you giving them away?"

"I can't have a big box of girlie mags in my closet. I already hid my favorites, so I gotta get rid of the rest before I get caught. Throwing ‘em away would be a waste, though. So, I’m sharing the wealth."

Markus stood and opened the box. He gestured for Henry to root through it. Feeling a little strange about the whole situation but not willing to pass up a golden opportunity, Henry dug in and sorted through the myriad magazines. The tips of his ears turned bright red as he pulled out what looked like a fairly decent selection.

"Good choice," Markus praised. "Nearly kept that one myself."

Henry flushed and nodded his head. Choking on his words, he managed to say thanks before stumbling away. He wished that he'd be able to make it up to his bedroom without Regina catching him.


	20. Chapter 20

His wish was granted when he burst back into 108 Mifflin; the first floor was deserted. Please, please, please, he chanted as he tiptoed toward the staircase. He had to get upstairs, down the hall, and into his room before he was discovered. He listened carefully while he kicked his shoes off to determine where in the house Regina was, but heard nothing. That either meant she was in the backyard or the bathroom, he thought, but he wasn't taking any chances. He slipped the magazine under his shirt, eased up the stairs, and darted for his room.

Safely within his own domain, he first thought to tuck the magazine under his mattress, but that was too obvious. Hiding it in his pajama drawer was also discarded, as was slipping it in his pillow case. He was beginning to understand the issue Markus was facing: he wanted the magazine, but he didn't want to get caught. There was no good place to keep one, let alone a whole box full.

His eyes landed on his bookcase. He had a large dictionary there that he hadn't touched in years. It was perfect. He pulled it off the shelf, flipped it open to the M's, and tucked the magazine safely inside. After replacing the book, he dragged his fingertips through the dust, trying to make it look like everything was messed up, not just the portion of the shelf around the dictionary. Satisfied with how sneaky he was, he went to his computer and sighed contentedly.

Later, when Regina was in bed and the house was silent, he'd take a look and see what everyone was talking about. He was awfully glad that the older boy had approved of his selection. What if he had chosen something bad? The whole world would have known that he didn't know what he was doing. That would have been the worst ever.

0-0-0

Emma shook her game pieces in her hand, wishing hard that she could be anywhere but there—and then, remembering Regina's warning, instead wanting very much to be somewhere else. Monopoly with Henry was one thing. Sorry! with Snow and David was an entirely different matter. How about a real apology for sticking her in a dresser as an infant, one that had the sole purpose of making Emma feel better, rather than them? She didn't bother asking, though, as she'd get woeful platitudes in response. It was for the best, Snow would say, and besides they were together now. That was good enough, right?

She morosely moved a piece around the board four paces and smiled stiffly at Snow. "Your turn."

"You're not having fun." Snow's face drooped. She twisted the tips of her hair between her thumb and forefinger. "If this is really that painful-"

"It's not," Emma responded as quickly as she could and tried to be a bit more enthusiastic about how she moved her piece about. "This is so fun. Family fun. Because it's family fun day."

"Why is she better?"

Emma frowned at Snow's quiet, almost subservient tone. Although no name had been mentioned, Emma knew exactly about whom Snow was speaking. "She's not better. She's… comfortable. It's just different. Like being here's a pair of new work boots… It's functional but a bit hard on me for the first few wears. And she's… a pair of slippers."

"Being around me is work?"

"You're not listening." Emma stared Snow directly in the eyes. "All I'm saying is that this takes a bit more work because there's more here, okay? Regina and I are fresh and new, y'know? And us—well, there's some stuff to work through. But that's what makes us family."

Snow fidgeted. "You like her because she's easier to deal with?"

"You know Regina. There's nothing about that woman that's easy to deal with," Emma teased, trying to draw Snow out of her jealous funk. "There's just less baggage."

Snow grimaced. "What can I do to make you happier?"

"Can't we just let things happen naturally?"

"If we did that, I'd never see you again. I don't get where you get it from, either. Your father and I face our problems, and you run from yours." Snow's lips fastened shut as she realized that she hadn't meant to be so blunt.

Emma barely reacted. She'd heard similar comments from other people in her life, and she'd come to understand that this was just an aspect of herself. It hurt, of course, that her mother was slinging her emotional weakness in her face, but she assumed that's what family did to one another. In every household she'd ever been a part of that seemed true. Pain and family were inextricably tied together, and horribly so as family knew where a person's weakness was.

"I'm not leaving," Emma responded, keeping her voice flat. "I might as well be cursed like the rest of you, 'cause it doesn't seem like I'm going anywhere."

"You'll go to her."

"It's no different than going to my room. Look, the thing is I can't live here much longer. You and David are going to have that new baby and this really—this isn't big enough for a married couple and their grown daughter. And if Henry comes to stay? I'm looking to get my own place."

Snow gaped wordlessly at her for several seconds. "What…"

David, who had been quiet for most of the day, cleared his throat and caught Snow's eye. "I think we should table this for now, Emma. Can we talk about it with you later? After Snow processes?"

Emma wanted to scoff; there was nothing to talk about. It was her decision to move out, and nothing they said could change her mind. Still, she wasn't interested in instigating a fight, so she shrugged her shoulders and nodded.

0-0-0

Regina considered her list for several long minutes before adding notations. Anything to do with Henry was automatically worth more points than something trivial, like Emma's arms. The blonde did have wonderful biceps, but in the long run, Henry's well being was more important. He could claim as much as he wanted that he would be fine in any event, but she knew better. If he was anything like her, he'd bury his hurt for a good long time in an effort to make everyone think he was fine. That hurt would fester into anger, and she never wanted him to feel the same rage that she lived with for most of her life.

The pros garnered thirty points. Emma racked the most points up for understanding her past and being faithful and loyal. Emma’s beauty, although tantalizing, was superficial and so earned only two points out of the total. In contrast, the cons came to thirty-one. Her concern about it being her wish was tantamount only to what Henry would go through if they broke up. According to this, she ought to walk away from Emma. It was only logical.

She growled under her breath and crumpled the list up. It was stupid anyway. She didn't need a scrap of paper to determine how she felt. It was too close a decision, anyway, to let a silly list be a controlling factor. Thirty-one to thirty was less convincing than the fifty to one she had been expecting. She pushed away from her desk and walked into the hallway. The light was on in Henry's room, which was surprising.

She knocked and waited for his response before voicing her concern. "Henry, didn't you go to the park?"

"It ended up being lame so I came home to do homework."

She narrowed her eyes. He never did homework until Sunday night, and it was early afternoon on Saturday. "May I come in?"

"Sure," he called. He tried to look as nonchalant as possible as his door swung open, and Regina walked in. She came to lean against the bookcase, and he immediately started to sweat. "What's up?"

She stared at him. "You're doing homework?"

"Got a book report for English, and I haven't really finished reading the book yet. I thought I should get on that before it gets to be too late."

This directed her attention to his bookcase, and his breath caught in his throat. Her gaze drifted along its contents as she tried to guess which work was his focus for the project. The spines of most books were intact, and she had no idea which was his choice.

"Which book?"

"What's with all the questions?" He scratched the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably, his air of apathy slowly bleeding away. "I've got this totally under control."

She noted the one shelf that was mysteriously less dusty than the others and quite nearly asked him about it. Aware that she probably wouldn't get a truthful or direct answer, she nodded. "I never said you didn't, Henry. I just thought it strange that you'd be doing homework on a Saturday. I'm proud of your being proactive with regards to your academics."

"Yeah, totally."

"Dinner will be in an hour."

"Okay, fine."

"Are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale." She stepped closer and pressed her hand to his forehead. She added a bit doubtfully, "You're warm."

"Just stressed about this report," he lied.

"Don't push yourself too hard. Grades are important, but not more so than your health." She glanced once more at the bookcase on her way out. There was something off about that shelf, she determined, but she would investigate later when he wasn't around.

0-0-0

"Dinner is great," Emma murmured weakly. Things hadn't been comfortable since her outburst during the game, and dinner was practically frigid. Snow clearly wanted space but was too dead set on family day to cut it short. Emma knew she had to say something about her plans but was beginning to realize that she had gone about it in the wrong way.

"Yeah," David agreed. He chewed his steak with a slightly open mouth, and Emma cringed when she caught glimpses of his food. "Really, Snow. You outdid yourself."

"It's family dinner. I had thought we could make it a tradition." She seemed to be on the brink of some sort of tantrum, so Emma lifted her hands, hoping to placate the other woman.

"I know we're kinda in a rocky place right now, but that doesn't mean we can't still try, right?"

"I don't know. You just want to leave. Doesn't seem much like trying."

Emma was disappointed that Snow's final emotional result was anger, but she sort of understood. After all, she'd spent her childhood hoping that she could have a family; yet, as each chance was yanked out from underneath her, she could remember being angry as well. It didn't make it any easier to deal with Snow's tantrum, but at least she could empathize.

"I'm still going to be around," Emma offered. "Just I'll have a place where I can keep my stuff that isn't all over your stuff. It'll be like I'm really your adult daughter and not an adult daughter pretending to be a preteen. Family's not about being in the same house, Snow. I'm not suddenly going to be less your daughter because I move down the street."

David rubbed Snow's arm. "I think you should go to your room, Emma."

"I'm not a kid. I think I just went over this, actually…"

"We need a moment," he clarified.

Emma opened her mouth once more but sighed and nodded. She headed upstairs and closed her door before flopping down on her bed. She fished her phone out. It was still too early for a verbal conversation, but she bet she could lure Regina into some texting. When had she become so obsessed with Regina's presence in her life? Maybe Snow was right. Maybe she was using Regina to avoid her problems, to run away. She pushed the thoughts from her mind. She was allowed to be happy, even with her mother's greatest life-long enemy. Fairy tales were strange, she thought and not for the first time.

**Hey – you around?**

_Yes._

**Snow's not too happy with me.** Emma typed. She felt some of the stress of the situation bleeding away and continued. **I told them I was going to move out.**

When Regina didn't answer right away, Emma hoped that she hadn't somehow said the wrong thing. That would be perfect; she'd found a very comfortable situation with minimal pressure, and she'd found a way to gum everything up. It was an innate talent… Take something good, add Emma Swan, and watch it fall to pieces.

_My apologies. The roast needed to be removed from the oven. You just need to give her time._

Emma's brows knitted together. She tossed her phone from hand to hand before answering. **Why are you on her side?**

_I am not on any side, Ms. Swan. I merely understand that as a parent, the hardest thing to deal with is when your child pulls away, justified or not._

**I'm an adult. It doesn't make any sense for me to live here.**

_Perhaps not, but all she sees is her daughter leaving her once again. She felt that she had to let you go when you are a baby, and I would guess that she feels she needs to fight for you now._


	21. Chapter 21

Emma tossed her phone aside and marched downstairs. Regina had a point—no matter how disconcerting it was to hear Regina empathizing with Snow—and Emma did want some sort of working relationship with both Snow and David. She could hear them talking in low voices and thought she heard a dry sob. She entered the room as loudly as she could to draw their attention and make sure they knew she wasn't sneaking around.

"Can I say something?"

Snow wiped at her eyes and nodded. "But you have to let me say something first."

Oh great. Still, she was willing to be flexible, so she nodded. "Uh, sure."

"I can't close my eyes and pretend that Regina is a saint, or good enough for you," Snow stated. David's hand tightened on her arm. "But I can admit that she's made a number of positive changes. You're an adult, as you keep reminding us, and not the baby I held in my arms thirty years ago. You're capable of making your own choices, even if I disagree with them. I hate that you love her more than you love me. I'm jealous, and it turns me into a child. But David's right. I can't let all of this get in the way of the potential of our relationship. We were best friends before the curse broke, and I think we can get that dynamic back with a little bit of work. Are you willing to work with me?"

Emma nodded mutely, unable to verbally work through the sudden onslaught of good feelings attacking her. "That's—that's more than I was expecting."

"I hope you won't move out, Emma."

"That point is non-negotiable," Emma responded, although now she did feel a bit bad about her resolve. Space was good, however. She and Regina needed space to think clearly, so the same should apply to her other relationships. Part of the problem was just how often she and Snow were in close proximity.

0-0-0

At ten ‘til midnight, Emma tied her shoes. She needed a walk and some cool night air to clear her head. Things had spiraled in the downward direction after she refused to reconsider moving out. Despite David's assurances, Snow took it as Emma rejecting their family unit, and Emma was too frustrated by Snow's lack of listening that she promptly returned to her room to text Regina until the apartment was quiet.

Snow just didn't listen. She heard a sentence and chose to interpret every word in the exact wrong way. Emma said she wanted to move, and Snow heard that her daughter couldn't stand to live in the same place as her. The problem was in how they communicated, which was a two-way street. There were likely better ways to express her feelings, but she was just too tired to care. She'd deal with Snow after she got a full night's sleep, even if that was the next night.

She shut the front door as quietly as she could and traipsed down to the street. The first blast of cold air was bracing, but she let the darkness of the night swallow her. She wrapped her arms across her chest as she walked and let her feet take her where they willed. The town was quiet at night, save for the sole bar, which bustled until just before dawn. Even fairy tales needed a bit of booze, she thought. She probably could do with a few shots herself.

Rather than stop inside, she bobbed her head to the music that blasted out as she walked past. Her hands migrated to her pockets, and she considered pulling her phone out to have a conversation with Regina… but the point became moot as she gradually realized exactly where her feet had taken her. She ought to be disappointed in her lack of self control, but rather than abuse herself, she approached Regina's door and knocked.

In the living room, Regina worked out her nervous energy on a crossword puzzle. When Emma hadn’t called before bed, Regina tried to ignore the feelings swelling up from her gut. She wasn't reliant on Emma, she told herself, and she wasn't hurt by Emma's failure to follow through on the asked-for phone call. She forced the disappointment down and focused her attention on her six-down. She hadn't done a puzzle like this in years, but it wasn't as if she was going to get much sleep. As she thought about a thirteen letter word for lazy, she tapped her toe impatiently. This was not the way she had wanted to spend her evening.

Relief filtered through her at the sound of someone at the door. Finally, there was an outlet for her pent-up energy. It was after midnight, and whoever dared to bother her was going to face the full extent of her wrath. She curled her hands into loose fists as she stalked to the door. Without bothering to check who was on her porch, she undid the locks and threw open the door.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Her fierce glare softened instantly at seeing Emma staring bashfully across at her.

"Yeah. It's a few minutes after midnight."

"Ms. Swan, we agreed—"

"It's technically Sunday," Emma stated. "So, I technically followed our agreement."

Although Regina was a bit miffed that Emma had found such a loophole, she was too glad to see the blonde to make any sort of sassy comment. Instead, she stepped aside and gestured for Emma to come inside. Emma did so gratefully.

"I'd ask what you were doing, but I'm afraid I wouldn't want to know the answer."

Emma bent low to take her shoes off. "I really just went out for a walk to clear my head. And, well, my feet took me here. I hope it's okay…?"

"Yes," Regina replied. She caught the eagerness before it could enter her voice. "I suppose it is."

They retired to the living room. The lights were on, so Emma presumed that Regina had been awake when she arrived at the house. There was a half-empty glass of water on the coffee table resting on a coaster and a newspaper folded in half. The pen atop that was uncapped, and Emma got the feeling she was interrupting something, even if that something wasn't too terribly important.

"Look, did you want me to come back in the morning?"

"You're already here." Regina made sure to sound as if this was putting her out in some way; she didn't want Emma to think she actually wanted company. Even with all that had changed between them, she wasn't entirely comfortable letting anyone, even Ms. Swan, behind her barriers. It was somehow easier to bare herself when they were in bed. Out in the house, sitting several feet apart on the couch, she felt the need to protect herself.

"Okay…" Emma toyed with a few strands of her hair and waited patiently for Regina to cap her pen and set the paper aside. "So, I've been thinking…"

"As have I."

"Would you like to go first?"

"Not particularly."

"Shit, this is harder than I thought it would be," Emma said after a moment of tense silence. "Could we maybe go to bed and talk about this?"

"We cannot live our lives in a bed, Ms. Swan. In case either of us does wish to pursue something, we would need the basic ability to communicate with one another in a situation that does not involve a mattress."

The words gave Emma an inkling of hope. "So, do you? Want to pursue something?"

"I really shouldn't," Regina responded. She reached forward and grabbed her glass from the table. She could feel the anxiety rolling off Emma in waves, but she did love a bit of melodrama. She took a long sip before finishing.

"Come on." Emma's hands curled into fists on her lap. The waiting was driving her mad; she wanted her answer, and she didn't like the delay. She wasn't sure her heart could take much more. "Spit it out."

"I have my concerns, Ms. Swan. Have you considered Henry's part in any relationship we might have? What will happen to him if something goes wrong between us? Or if we discover that these feelings are side effects of an ill-thought-out wish?"

"I mean, I thought about it?" She flushed. She hadn't thought very hard on anything over the past day or two, other than how very much she wanted live in her own place. "Well, I mean, we're better people than we were when we met, right? I think we could maybe decide now on what would happen if things went bad?"

"Are you suggesting a pre-nuptial agreement?"

"No! Well, sort of. Yes?"

Regina drummed her fingers on her thigh. She hadn't considered such a setup, but it would avoid many of the problems she was worried about. Even if things weren't initially cordial between them after something went wrong, Henry wouldn't be harmed. It didn't dampen her concerns about the wish, but it certainly eased the bulk of her anxiety.

"I think that would be acceptable."

"Desirable, even?" Emma smiled hopefully. She balanced her elbows on her knees and leaned forward. "So…?"

"I really shouldn't," Regina repeated. "However, I cannot deny there is—something between us."

"And… that means… What? In terms of us, I mean."

Regina gritted her teeth. She disliked this airing of her feelings, even if it was only for Emma. "I would like to know your stance before proceeding."

Emma let out a nervous bark of a laugh. "I thought my position was pretty clear."

"Well, it's not," Regina snapped. She immediately averted her gaze, hoping that Emma wouldn't be able to read the intense emotion swirling in her eyes.

"Okay, well, my position is…" Emma shifted uncomfortably. "Here's the thing. I'm not really good with the feelings and stuff, so I'm really sorry if this comes out a jumbled mess, okay? My position is that I haven't felt this comfortable with another person in a long time, and that's kinda really freaking me out. I trusted Neal, and look where that got me.

"But maybe it's just the Charming in me or whatever, but I keep hoping that this will work out. That you won't steal a bunch of watches and then let me take the fall for you. I mean, not that exact situation again, but do you get what I'm saying. Like, I don't want you to hurt me.

"I really do trust that you won't. No matter how stupid that is of me, or gullible, or whatever. I trust that you're not gonna rip my heart out… Literally or metaphorically. So, my position is that I want this. I want you. And if you tell me no, it's going to hurt, but I'd rather you say no now and are happy than say yes to avoid some sort of weird situation. I'll understand. This is… this is really weird, isn't it?

"When the curse broke, and all this fairy tale stuff ended up being true, I started thinking that maybe my own Prince Charming or White Knight would ride in and save me from all the shit this dredged up. But it never happened. It was just on me to be good enough. But it was just never… I was never… good enough. Hell, even my mother wants another kid. She's glad she has me, but I'm not really what she wanted. With you…"

"You're enough," Regina concluded. "Just as you are."

"Yeah," Emma said, her eyes never leaving Regina's. "And that's my position."

Her gaze roved Regina's face, trying to figure out what the brunette was thinking from the subtle shifts in expression. She could tell there was still something holding Regina back from making the decision they both pretty clearly wanted to make. Regina wasn't as explicit, however. Regina had partially stated her own feelings but had made no effort to state what she wanted. There was a chance that in spite of liking her in some way or another, those feelings weren't strong enough to justify a relationship beyond casual friends and co-parents.

She took a deep breath and steadied herself; her thoughts were quite capable of zooming off of their own accord and diving into strange assumptions without her permission. Aware that jumping to conclusions in this situation could only end poorly or in tears, she tried to keep herself in the moment. She closed her eyes and counted slowly to ten. When she opened them again, Regina was still motionless on the other end of the couch. Determined that she wasn't simply going to give up without a fight, Emma scooted across the middle cushion and took Regina's hand in hers.

"If you want to think about this some more, the last thing I want to do is pressure you." This was a lie, but if it meant getting what she wanted, she'd fib through her teeth. She had a sinking feeling in her gut that if she walked away from this moment, there would be no coming back. "Did you want me to leave?"

Regina pulled her hand free and pressed the limb to her chest. "I just need a few minutes."

"Did you need more water?" Without waiting for an answer, Emma grabbed the glass and practically sprinted for the kitchen. As soon as Regina was out of sight, she pressed herself against the wall and let her hands shake.


	22. Chapter 22

Regina picked up her crossword puzzle and filled in LACKADAISICAL. She wished that all the problems in her life were like crosswords; there was a definite answer to every question and no mystery that was unsolvable. Either the word fit, or it didn't. The problem Ms. Swan presented had no easy answer. To hear Ms. Swan talk so ardently about her feelings hadn't been pleasant. Her stomach had curled up tightly and had yet to release.

Things were never as Henry thought they would be. There was no binary, no strictly good or evil, black or white. Ms. Swan had such a strong emotional attachment to her, which was a bit worrisome. Regina knew of her own propensity for loving deeply and could spot the trait in others. Starting something with Emma could end up psychologically damaging to them both. They'd both been used and betrayed by those they had trusted and loved, and that baggage had yet to disappear for either of them.

No matter how at ease she was with Ms. Swan, she couldn't quite move past those simple facts. They were both broken people, and while they had a shot at fixing each other, there was an even greater risk of dealing intense damage, even without malicious intent. She wanted so badly to just say yes and settle into Emma's arms every night for the foreseeable future, but things between them were complicated enough as it was.

The next clue on her list was a six letter word for a wooden boat. Ship was too short, as was canoe. She tapped her pen against the paper and stared at the far wall. Rowboat was too many letters, and she was frustrated to find that she had very few other synonyms readily at her disposal. She set the newspaper down and leaned back against the couch. It was just one more answer that she didn't have.

In the kitchen, Emma filled the glass of water at the tap and stared out the window into the yard. Henry had a nice home, one that she could easily picture herself living in as well. It would be nice to move in here, but that sounded crazy. She wasn't even sure Regina wanted to be with her, let alone live with her. She'd find a nice apartment somewhere midway between Snow and Regina, and she'd find a way to split her time.

She couldn't please everyone, but she could keep Snow at least somewhat happy by remaining nearby. Her earlier emotions regurgitated without her permission—she realized she was in an emotionally vulnerable place, so she did her best to sort through them before returning to Regina. The last thing she needed was to fling unrelated issues into their discussion.

She tried her hardest to understand where Snow was coming from, but she just couldn’t understand. Perhaps she might if Henry had rejected her advances at forging some sort of relationship, but despite Snow's perspective, she wasn't trying to reject Snow in any fashion. She needed to find a way to say that she wanted Snow in her life, but that Snow wasn't her life.

This small burst of knowledge calmed her racing heart. The issue with Snow wasn’t insurmountable, and neither were the potential problems of dating Regina. She smoothed her hair down and trailed back to the living room. She'd given Regina ample time to think, so her returning wouldn't be an interruption. Thankfully, Regina didn't look surprised to see her and merely cocked an eyebrow as she set the glass of water on the coffee table. She missed the coaster, flushed, and adjusted so no water mark would develop on Regina's pristine surface.

"Did you conclude anything?"

Regina nodded slowly. "I think I might have…"

Emma hated the way Regina's voice faded away at the end. It sounded wistful and depressing, which didn't give her any sort of good feeling for what was coming next. "Wait. Don't tell me."

"Hm?"

Emma sat beside her, placed a hand on her wrist, and leaned in slowly. This was her last shot, she figured, so she was going to take it. Their lips met.

Regina gently pushed her back. "I can't do this. No matter how wonderful it feels, we cannot act on our base impulses, Ms. Swan."

Emma tried her hardest not to look crushed, but her lips turned down at the corners, and she jerked back as if she'd stepped on a tack. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

“I understand, but you ought to know by now that I will not make a decision based on physical desire. I do want you, Emma.” Regina’s hand came up and grazed her lips softly. “But to give in to passion… I will not have us tumbling into this like—"

"Like bricks in a dryer," Emma supplied. She flushed. "I guess that was a bit – well, like I said. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

"It confirmed that there is something between us," Regina allowed. The momentary kiss had awoken something in her chest that had long been dormant. She linked their hands, surer now than before that this was what she wanted. "However, we need our agreement in place, and I do believe you should take me out."

"Take you out?"

"Yes. If we are going to do this, I insist we move slowly. You seem so gung-ho about kissing me and the physical aspects a relationship could offer you, but I need to know you're capable of connecting with me on an emotional and mental level."

Emma swallowed audibly and nodded. "Yeah, totally. I can do that."

"Will you be staying the night?"

"I didn't know if I could…"

"You can, if that's what you desire."

"It is. But what do you want? That's pretty important, too. If you want me to go, I'll go."

Regina stood and straightened her clothing. She went to the doorway, casting a look over one shoulder. "What I want is to get some sleep, Ms. Swan. I will leave it up to you whether you join me or not."

As she padded up the stairs, she listened to the room behind her in an attempt to determine if Emma would follow her. There was silence at first and then a chuckle accompanied by the squeaking of her floorboards.

0-0-0

Emma accepted the pajamas Regina pressed into her hands. They were silk and much nicer than the flannel she wore around Snow's apartment on Saturday mornings. She expected no less from Regina, however, and made no comment as she took them to the bathroom to change. As she discarded her clothing and slipped into the silk, she glanced along the counter. It felt a bit like snooping, but it wasn't as if she were rooting through the medicine cabinet.

There was a tall bottle of lotion at the edge of the counter. Emma picked it up and examined the label, unwilling to admit that she was stalling. She was a bit afraid that things would be awkward between them, that she'd slip between the covers, and it would be like they were strangers once more. Did Regina expect anything from her? She squirted a bit of lotion into her palm and rubbed it over her hands. Did she expect anything from Regina? She couldn't contain her worry that their conversation had somehow altered their dynamic.

What if she wasn't able to sleep again, even with Regina's presence? She had no idea why this might be the case, but her bowels constricted anyway. She stared at herself in the mirror, transfixed and unable to move. She should have waited until morning for this talk. She was forcing herself on Regina, when Regina clearly wasn't as interested as she was. She ought to just go home, before she took an opportunity to make the whole situation much worse.

Her heart thudded against the bottom of her throat. She really did ruin everything. If things were indeed different between them, and she couldn't fall asleep, would she ever rest again? She twisted the faucet controlling the cold water on and splashed her face.

"Ms. Swan? Are you coming?"

"Yeah, just gimme a second. I'm… washing my face," Emma invented. She'd splashed water on herself, she reasoned, so it wasn't a complete fabrication. She snagged the nearest hand towel and scrubbed her cheeks dry. A tuft of wet hair jutted out at an awkward angle, but she didn’t try to tame it.

Without further excuse, she walked as slowly as possible to the door and pulled it open. Regina was already safely ensconced in the bed. The sheets on the other side were rolled back and waiting for her, but Emma remained in the door way. This did feel strange. She placed a hand against the door frame and scratched a nail against the white paint.

"Well?"

"I just… Is this weird now? Or am I imagining it?"

"You're making it strange, Ms. Swan." Regina slumped down against the pillows and closed her eyes. "If you're unable to sleep here, you're more than welcome to leave. Lock the door on your way out."

Emma clenched her hands and forced herself to walk to the bed. She slid under the covers, draped an arm over Regina's waist, and snuggled in as she usually would. As soon as Regina's arms were around her, she relaxed considerably. She let her head settle against Regina's chest, and her eyes closed.

"Good night, Regina."

"Good night, Emma."

Emma smiled. "Thanks for letting me stay."

"Are we going to sleep or talk?" Regina tried to sound frustrated but couldn't muster the necessary anger. Her fingers moved in small circles against Emma's back. Talking with Emma when she ought to be sleeping was hardly the worst thing she could imagine.

"Both? Do you talk in your sleep?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Right. Because you'd be asleep." Emma chuckled. Regina enjoyed the gentle rumble against her body. "We could give it a try, and I could tell you in the morning."

"Are you quite through being ridiculous?"

"Probably not," Emma responded, a bit giddy that things between them could feel normal, even in times of flux.

"Tell me something about Henry?” She whispered her request against Regina's collarbone just in case the brunette had already fallen asleep. The last thing she wanted to be was a pest, but she was curious and not entirely tired. She could sleep, but she also didn't want to miss a moment of being pressed this close to Regina.

"What do you want to know?" Regina's voice was raspy with sleep, and her eyes were closed. Yet, she seemed willing to talk.

"What's your favorite memory of him?"

Regina was silent for a number of minutes, and Emma wondered if she had was asleep. She resisted the urge to repeat her question and settled in to sleep. She inhaled slowly and deeply, letting Regina's scent wash over her. The pillowcase was a shadow of the real thing, and she immediately felt more at ease with Regina actually beside her.

"When he was about three years old, he went through a phase where he followed me around the house. He could walk, but he was still rather unsteady. I thought he could use the practice, so I let him tail me from room to room while I cleaned. He chattered at that age about everything and anything. He'd tell me stories—purely nonsense, mind you—and his voice would just fill my large, otherwise empty house. I got so used to hearing his tiny voice right behind me, like some sort of portable radio, that I didn't notice at first when there was silence.

"When I noticed his absence, I can't describe to you how afraid I felt. I was certain he had fallen and hit his head. I retraced my steps and searched the house as quickly as I could. Do you know where I found him?"

"Where?"

"In my closet," Regina said, smiling. "I had put away my laundry earlier, and he had stopped to play dress up. He had put one of my dresses on and was trying to stand in my high heels. He looked so proud when I found him. I asked him what he was doing, and he responded that he wanted to be like Mommy."

"When did he… y'know…?"

"Pull away?" Regina supplied. Her fingers skimmed across Emma's back. Her pajamas looked very nice on the blonde. Had she been tortured, she would have admitted that she appreciated how Ms. Swan dressed, but she also enjoyed when Emma cleaned up. "Around his seventh birthday. It may have been earlier, but… I was blind to many things when it came to Henry. I still am."

"Love is like wearing blinders." Emma clutched at Regina, her body betraying what her steady voice sought to hide. "You see what you want to see, but you're not using your peripherals. There are signs sometimes that something's not right—noises just beyond your line of sight—but you keep your eyes straight ahead. Those noises don't matter, right? The one you love couldn't be doing something to hurt you, right?"

"Right," Regina demurred. Her mind flickered briefly to her mother, and she dug her fingers into Emma's back. Although Emma's metaphor was a bit jumbled and inexact, she understood what Emma was trying to get at. "It only makes the hurt that much more intense."

Emma nodded slowly. "I just want you to know I won't ever hurt you on purpose. I do a lot of stuff without thinking, and I act on my instincts, and sometimes—well most of the time—it really gets me into trouble. But I don't want to hurt you."

"Ms. Swan."

"You don't have to say anything. I know it's one of those you'll believe it when you see it sort of deals. I can't promise I won't hurt you. But I'm really going to try. I want this to work. Like really badly. This whatever thing is the one thing in my life right now that sorta makes sense. So, I'm going to trust that you won't hurt me, either."


	23. Chapter 23

"You need to sleep," Regina murmured. She felt strange listening to Emma so openly profess that sort of emotional blather. She was used to Emma being as guarded as she was, but confession had seemingly lifted a weight from Emma's shoulders. The blonde was completely content to cuddle beside her and let the pains of the day drain away.

"So do you," Emma countered. "Yet, we're both awake."

"I blame you."

"Don't you always?"

"Only when it's your fault."

"Isn't it always?"

Regina smirked and let her hand resume its slow trip around Emma's back. It was getting easier to simply feel comfortable and accept that she felt at ease with Emma this close to her. She'd never gotten to have Daniel like this. There were desperate, passionate embraces but never quiet moments where she was content just to be with him. They would have gotten there if Cora hadn't intervened. He had broad shoulders, she remembered, so she would probably have been in Emma's position. Unconsciously, her fingers slid along Emma's shoulders.

"Care to share?"

"I was remembering."

"Can I ask what?"

"Daniel."

"Is it—Would it be weird for me to ask about him?"

"Would you tell me more about your affiliation with Neal?"

"Affiliation." Emma snorted. "You like making things sound clinical, huh?"

"You're stalling."

"I'd tell you whatever you wanted to know, but isn't it considered bad form to talk about exes this early in a." Emma halted abruptly, flushed, and pressed her cheek back down to Regina's chest. They had agreed to try, but she had no idea if this qualified as a romantic relationship. Regina's silence did little to soothe her fears, so she cleared her throat. "But yeah. Open book. Sort of. Yes."

"I was trying to remember what it felt like to be in his arms."

Emma remembered what it felt like to be cradled in Neal's arms. She had been young, and he seemed to have everything so together. She had curled into his grasp and felt so incredibly at home because no matter how much confusion was jangling between her ears and how little she trusted herself, he was strong, and he would keep her safe. Although she had grown a great deal since he had last held her while she slept, she was still in the same sort of position.

Life had thrown her another curve ball, and she was less sure of what she was doing than ever. After twenty eight years, she went from being utterly alone to having more family than she knew what to do with. Her entire sense of self had been tilted on an axis, and she was struggling to figure out not only who this made her, but how her new self was supposed to interact with every other person in town. However, she wasn't the only one going through a period of extreme change. She tugged out of Regina's arms and flopped onto her back.

"Come on."

"What are you doing?"

"Come on," she repeated. She stretched her hands a few times until Regina reluctantly leaned toward her. Once Regina was within hugging distance, Emma pulled her down and waited for Regina to settle more comfortably against her chest. She hoped her heart wasn't hammering too loudly; she wanted Regina to get the same experience she'd gotten—the one Regina had missed out on with her first love.

Regina latched onto her lightly at first, as if testing to make sure Emma was real beneath her and wouldn't collapse under her weight. Emma's hand was warm against her side, and Emma's chest rose and fell steadily under her. This was indeed real, she thought.

It was another ten minutes before Regina spoke again. She was on the brink of sleep and just brave enough to voice her thoughts. It was a bit worrisome actually speaking to Emma while Emma was awake. Midnight confessions to an unconscious blonde was one thing, but allowing Emma to hear without prompting was another.

"Are you awake?"

"Yeah." Emma couldn't put into words that she was enjoying holding Regina too much to fall asleep just yet. She balked at being Storybrooke's Savior, but she was really getting into being Regina's protector. As much as she liked the warmth of Regina's embrace, she loved the firm weight of Regina pressed against her. She slid her hand under Regina's shirt and rubbed Regina's back. Regina let out a contented sigh, and Emma felt more powerful than she had in years. She had quite nearly made the other woman purr. "What's up?"

"I was positive that Daniel was my only chance at being happy. For a long time, I was certain that I was doomed to a life of unhappiness. Chances at happiness were offered to me, but I declined. I had spent so much time utterly aware that I didn't deserve anything good that I was too afraid to accept anything potentially positive into my life. Everything I loved was eventually crushed, by my own hand or by others.

"It took Henry to show me that I could have good in my life, that I was deserving of something more than being crushed underfoot by those around me. I could be happy," Regina whispered, her voice faltering a bit at the end. "And then you arrived, and you stole that light from my life. I started wondering if I had been wrong. Perhaps there really was nothing in this life for me but darkness."

"Shit, Regina, I didn't know."

"You took him from me, but then you gave him back."

"I shouldn't have taken him in the first place." Emma grimaced. Her fingers danced along the notches of Regina's spine. She wondered if Regina had always been this thin or if she'd lost weight after the worry of getting Henry out of Pan's grasp. She hadn't noticed any significant decrease in Regina's diet, but then again, she wasn't exactly paying attention.

"No, you shouldn't have. However, it's hard to remain angry over a past grievance that has been rectified."

"Do you ever turn off?" Emma tickled Regina's sides, hoping that the stoic brunette was vulnerable to the silly action. All she got in response was a bland stare, so she sighed and resumed exploring the expanse of Regina's back.

"I was not aware I was turned on."

Emma smiled crookedly. "I have that effect on people."

Regina huffed. As a petty revenge, she lifted a hand and ghosted her fingers along Emma's neck, just behind Emma's ear. After watching Emma and Henry tussle, she'd discovered there were a number of weak points on Emma's body. The squeal of laughter from the woman beneath her was proof she'd correctly pinpointed one.

"That's so not fair."

"What's not fair?" She twisted her fingers again, and Emma panted for air between what looked to be painful guffaws.

"You're not ticklish, so you shouldn't be able to tickle me. It's in the Geneva Convention. Look it up."

"Who said I wasn't ticklish?"

"I totally tickled your sides." Emma did it again to prove her point. "Not ticklish. Disqualifies you entirely from any tickle battle by reason of invincibility."

"My sides are not ticklish, Ms. Swan, but I am ticklish."

Emma's cheeks flooded with color. She wasn't sure if this was an invitation to explore Regina's body to find that spot or simply a miscommunication. She licked her lips, indecision staying her fingers. Unwilling to simply risk their tenuous peace, especially after agreeing to go slowly, Emma cleared her throat. "Was that… Can I…?"

"Hm?" Regina turned her face up. It was too dark to spot the brilliant flare of color on Emma's cheeks, but she had a fairly good idea of what was happening from the sudden moisture on Emma's hands. The thought that she could have such an intense effect was all at once tantalizing and fear inducing. Power corrupted, and she didn't want to have it over Emma.

"Invitation?"

"What?"

Emma gnawed on her lower lip and splayed her hand against Regina's back. "Was that an invitation to, y'know, find the spot? I promise to behave."

Regina's heart rate increased; she hadn't meant to sound so—sensual. Emma brought that out in her. She didn't try to be flirtatious, but around Emma, everything had a double meaning. She imagined that it wouldn't be too bad to have Emma's fingers gently moving around her body, but she also valued the safety that her secret bought her. If Emma didn't know where she was ticklish, that information couldn't be used against her.

"Sorry," Emma eventually said. "I made things weird."

"No, you didn't," Regina countered.

"Forget I said anything, okay? We agreed on slow, and we're gonna go slow."

"You may."

Emma stared up at the ceiling, not sure if she truly trusted her ears. "I may?"

Regina shifted uncomfortably. She hated repeating herself, especially when the content of her words made her feel in any way vulnerable. She took a short soothing breath and reminded herself that she wasn't saying this to just anyone: this was Ms. Swan beneath her, and they were safely tucked away in the sanctuary of her bedroom.

"You may touch me."

Emma lifted herself up and eased Regina onto the mattress. Regina remained on her back, perfectly still, and watched the blonde loom over her. They maintained eye contact for several long seconds before Emma swung a leg over Regina and straddled her abdomen. Necks were ticklish, Emma determined, so that was where she wanted to start. Her lower lip slipped between her teeth as her finger tips made contact with the soft skin just below Regina's jaw. Regina was silent. She put more pressure behind her touch and dragged her fingers up behind Regina's ears.

"Not there," Regina said, her voice coming out a strained rasp. Her hands were fisted in the sheets, but Emma couldn't see that far.

Emma continued lower. She followed the neckline of Regina's shirt and rubbed the skin over Regina's collarbone. She paused, taking her time exploring the small divot of Regina's clavicle. Touching beneath the shirt was probably forbidden territory, at least for now, so she shifted her hands to the inner portion of Regina's elbow. Joints were sensitive, after all, and it was plausible that Regina's was ticklish in an odd area. Her fingers skittered along Regina's skin, but still Regina was unresponsive.

Although she had already ruled out Regina's sides, she couldn't resist pushing Regina's shirt up to the bottom of the other woman's ribcage. She flattened her palm to Regina's stomach and, feeling awfully brave, kissed the patch of skin just above Regina's belly button. That made Regina murmur, but Emma knew it wasn't because it tickled. Conscious not to push her luck, she scooted down Regina's body and picked up Regina's feet. Her nails tickled Regina’s soles.

Nothing. She eased her hands up Regina's ankles and pushed the silken material of Regina's pajama pants up so she could reach behind Regina's knees. Finally, Regina tittered, her eyes flashing through the darkness. Emma's breath caught in her throat as she realized how she was nestled between the other woman's legs.

Emma held her position, hoping that her heart would stop thudding quite so loudly against her ribs. It was absurd. They were both fully dressed and had mutually agreed to take their time with the physical aspect of whatever this was. These facts did little to derail the sudden sultry turn of her thoughts. It didn't matter that Regina was completely covered; the brunette was spread before her, and she was so damn close to the apex of the other woman's thighs…

"Emma?"

Emma came crashing back to reality. She crawled back up Regina's body, coming to a halt when their bodies were aligned. She held herself aloft by planting her hands on either side of Regina's head. The distance helped her maintain better control over herself and quelled the urge to break her promise.

"Yeah?"

"This does not give you permission to abuse your new knowledge. Are we clear?" Regina's sounded overwhelmed, and Emma recognized that she'd pushed far enough for one evening.

She smiled and broke the tension as best she could. "I get it. It's on a knee-d to know basis."

Regina sighed. "Please don't make me regret what was probably a horrible decision."

Emma flopped onto her side and pulled Regina back into her arms. She hoped Regina didn't regret a single moment of their time together and knew she wouldn't ever tickle the other woman. It was a flimsy excuse to touch Regina, so she cared very little about the actual outcome. Still, knowing the other woman wasn't infallible or perfect was a bit of a relief. Emma knew she was herself as far from perfect as a person could get, so this ticklish spot leveled the playing field.

For a moment, she worried that Regina wouldn't be able to relax again, but her anxiety ended when Regina's arms curled around her middle and clutched her close.


	24. Chapter 24

Emma slipped easily into sleep.

Regina, however, lingered in a state of not too unpleasant wakefulness. She liked the feeling of Emma's arms around her, but the position they were in wasn't conducive to her sleeping. She was used to sleeping either flat on her back or curled onto her side. Being basically on her stomach wasn't as comfortable as she might have hoped, and so she remained awake, content to be held but unable to sleep.

This was different—different but good. She'd rather be sleepless in Emma's arms than fitfully asleep and alone. None of her other bedfellows had ever bothered to hold her. Graham had tried, once, but she'd pushed him out of bed. Henry, she'd told him. He couldn't linger, even for a moment, because every second that passed was a heightened risk that Henry would discover them. She couldn't have that.

Henry discovering Emma in her bed didn't seem like too terrible a fate. She imagined he would be happy rather than mortified. It helped, too, that they were fully dressed. Still, even if Graham was dressed, Henry wouldn't have accepted his presence in her bed. Perhaps it was the subterfuge, she considered. She had snuck Graham in and out. They hadn't dated publicly, and nobody was supposed to know. He was a physical release and nothing more.

That's what made Emma different. She wanted to be seen out and about with Emma beside her. She refused to put the cart before the horse with Emma; they would do things slowly, and they would do things right. She looked forward to the date Emma would put together for her, even if she was a bit anxious about spending several hours with Emma while not in bed or curled together. That would be the real test: if they could get along when seated several feet apart at a table.

0-0-0

Emma shifted and yawned. It was still dark, which meant it was still time for sleep, but there was something missing. Regina was no longer cuddled up on her chest. She wondered if she had been a bad pillow, or if she'd pushed the woman away during the night. She certainly hoped not. She just wanted Regina to experience being held like that, so maybe the brunette would understand why Emma enjoyed it so very much. She set a hand on the bedspread beside her and moved it slowly around until it contacted Regina's back.

The other woman was a foot or so away, curled up on one side with her knees almost to her chest. Emma rubbed Regina's back while she considered her options: she could go back to sleep, or she could spoon up behind Regina and hope that it was her grasp that annoyed Regina but the position. If it was her grasp, she wasn't sure how well they would do in any sort of long term relationship, so rather than wonder about such a small detail, she wiggled over and conformed to the brunette's position.

They were taking it slow, she reminded herself for the hundredth time. It was hard to remember, however, when Regina's rear nestled so perfectly against her groin. As her chest pressed against Regina's back, she could feel her nipples hardening; she willed them silently to ignore how nice Regina smelled, and how close they were currently pressed. She could back off, but she really didn't want to. Instead, she tucked her nose against the base of Regina's neck and closed her eyes.

She'd find out in the morning if this was the wrong choice, but for now, she was going to enjoy Regina's proximity. It would be worth the scolding to be this close and comfortable, even for just a few hours.

Later on, Regina blinked slowly, unused to the warm presence just behind her. Emma's arm was nestled between her breasts, and Emma herself was cuddled as close as was physically possible. For a moment, Regina though to shift away; it was warm in the bedroom, and Emma's body heat was making her sweat. Despite the discomfort, she thought it sort of endearing that Emma had followed after her. Henry had always loved being close to her when he was younger, but not even he would put in the effort to snuggle against her if she shifted farther away. The devotion was as cute as it was frightening.

The alarm clock next to her bed blinked out that it was two minutes until six, which meant she could either keep sleeping for another half an hour or simply get up and get moving. Sunday mornings tended to be big deals, especially with Henry back under her roof. She liked to have a big breakfast ready for him when he finally emerged from his weekend hibernation. He was partial to apple sausage, and she had yet to miss making some for him. The difficulty would be easing out of Emma's tight grasp without rousing the slumbering woman.

She wondered what sort of breakfast food Emma might enjoy, and then felt her belly tighten with anxiety as she realized that she already included Emma in family plans. Holding her breath, she lifted Emma's arm and scooted off the mattress. Emma mumbled incoherently and then rolled onto her back. Her mouth drooped open, and she snoozed onward as if Regina were still next to her. That wouldn't last long, unless Emma's condition had significantly changed. She hated that she hoped it hadn't. This whole mess began because of her misguided wish for Emma to have insomnia, and there she was, wishing it would continue. She felt like she hadn't learned anything.

She walked slowly from the room, trailing her fingernails along the wall. Don't get too attached, she warned herself. Every relationship had its honeymoon phase where everything felt perfect and neither party could do a thing wrong. That would wear away, and soon, Emma would see exactly what she'd stepped into. Using Regina as a sleeping aid was one thing; being with a former Evil Queen entailed much more. She'd make Henry breakfast, she resolved, and she wouldn't spend one more second wondering what Emma would want to eat or how well Emma was sleeping.

She yanked the refrigerator open and pulled out the carton of eggs. There were only four left, but they would suffice in making both French toast and a small omelet. The omelet would be for her, as Henry wasn't generally in favor of the fresh vegetables she used. If it couldn't be drenched in syrup, it wasn't meant for Sunday breakfast. It was the one morning a week where she relaxed her standards and let him eat as he pleased, so long as he scrubbed his teeth directly after.

"What're we doing?"

"Making breakfast." Regina didn't bother to turn around. She'd heard Emma's slow footsteps in the hall and was prepared for the quiet intrusion. She jumped when Emma's hands slid onto her waist and tugged her back.

"You couldn't have slept in? It's Sunday morning."

"Henry will be expecting his meal."

"The kid'll sleep, too, unless you're going to tempt him with the delicious scent of waffles."

"French toast."

"Exactly. Let him sleep. Come back to bed."

Regina's heart clenched. This was too domestic and too frightening. She shook her head. "You're welcome to sleep as long as you want, but I have things to accomplish today."

Emma looked a bit wounded by the rejection but rebounded quickly. "Mind if I keep you company?"

She hopped up onto the counter and kicked her heels against the cabinets. Regina ignored the action, which was clearly Emma testing her patience, and resumed gathering supplies for breakfast. She set the milk jug down a bit too hard, and Emma cleared her throat.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No."

"Is this about the spooning?" Emma moved her hands to her knees and then shifted again so they were pressed together against her stomach. She lifted a thumb to her lips and bit down on the cuticle. "Okay, so I probably should have given you space when you rolled away last night, but—"

"This isn't about the spooning." Regina fiddled with the oven. She refused to turn around and meet Emma's nervous gaze. "This isn't about anything. I'm making my son breakfast."

"Our son."

"You know what I meant."

"Yeah…"

"How long do you really think this is going to last?" Regina nearly crushed an egg in her fist. She set the delicate ingredient aside and steadied her hands on the counter top. She hadn't wanted to spit out her worries, but Emma's dejected tone was more than she could bear.

"What?"

"We've never gotten along for long, have we?"

"Well…"

"Not even in Neverland. I had to leave when you—"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly aware that I made some bad choices." Emma drummed her fingers against her thighs. "And that we've had a bumpy relationship in the past, but this is so different than anything we've had in the past. This is fresh and new and… Well, to be honest, kinda scary."

"I'm not afraid."

"Of course you aren't because you're Regina Mills, Mother Bear Mayor of a made up town. You don't get scared, you get even."

"Exactly." Regina finally met Emma's gaze. "And it won't be long until you understand what that means."

Unwilling to let things go, Emma sighed deeply and loudly. "Regina, look. I was in prison. Don't you think I'm worried that someday you'll think I'm some sort of delinquent? That I'm a bad influence on Henry because I never finished high school and was a transient for five years before finding a job?"

"You were homeless?"

"The Bug doesn't really count, does it? But it's better than the street during winter." Emma shook her head. "I really don't want to talk about this right now, okay? I don't think I'll ever want to talk about it. I'm just saying that neither of us is perfect, and we've both had pasts we would much, much, much rather forget. I know you're gonna argue that what we did was totally different, and that your badness was so much badder than mine."

"Worse."

"See?" Emma placed her hands on Regina's shoulders and forced Regina to look at her. "Here's the thing: whether it makes sense or not, I really kinda dig you, okay? And I'm beyond over the moon about getting a chance to prove to you that I can make you happy. But I get it. This is a lot. I'm a lot. I'll—I'm going to go do some stuff, okay? I'd like to see you tonight for dinner, but I'll wait to hear from you. Take some time to just relax. I'm going to get to the bottom of this wish thing once and for all."

"Ms. Swan."

"Just call me Emma, please." Emma paused in the doorway. "No matter what happens now, I don't think I can go without hearing you say my name."

Regina licked her lips and frowned in an attempt to hide her smile. "Very well. But do your best to stay out of trouble. I won't be around to bail you out should something go awry."

0-0-0

Because it was still early, Emma set off for the pizza place. What she was planning on doing wasn't strictly legal, but this town wasn't exactly the pinnacle of American justice. If she could just get inside and see those papers he had been hiding from her, it might give her a hint as to what was happening. Two oddities at once was too much of a coincidence. The dog robberies had to be connected the wishes. Solving one mystery might solve the other, and she had more to go off of with the dogs than the wishes.

Pizza Parlor was dark and empty. She tried both front and back door on the off chance someone had forgotten to lock up, but both were fastened tight. Come on, she thought as she put her hand over the handle. She had magic; she should be able to make it do whatever she wanted. So, she focused on opening the lock and concentrated as hard as she could. Nothing happened. She altered her desire to wanting the door to open, rather than unlock.

She realized too late what an open-ended thought that was; the door blasted open, nearly flying off its hinges. Shit. The whole purpose of this visit was to be incognito. She should have brought her lock picking materials with her, but she hadn't expected to end up at Regina's the night before, and she couldn't have predicted breaking into the pizza place that morning. Maybe she could magic it back to normal on her way out.

In any event, she couldn't stand out there bemoaning her wild magic any longer. She moved into the pizzeria and tried the door to the back office. This door, thankfully, was unlocked. She'd been destructive enough already. She flicked the lights on and groaned. Fagin was the most disorganized person she'd ever met. There were haphazard stacks of paper on his desk, and some had toppled over onto the floor. It was going to be a long morning.

She sifted through the papers in the hopes that something would jump out at her as important. There was a letter from Albert Spencer, a bank statement, two electric bills, and some sort of contract in one pile. After trying to read the first few lines of the contract, she grew frustrated with the dancing letters and set it aside. If she had time, she'd go back and try again, but for now she was looking for something more obvious. Something that wouldn’t require intensive reading.

The next stack was full of old receipts. She examined those closely to see if there had been any sort of doctoring, which she suspected there might be. If the dogs were bringing in money or valuables, the goods would have to be laundered. That was assuming, however, that Fagin was going to use them legally. She scratched her head as each receipt looked fine. 

She pulled his desk drawers open and pawed through their contents. The man was a pack rat. There were tattered wallets, broken remote controls, and all sorts of gears, nuts, and bolts. Nothing of use, so she picked up Spencer's letter and stared at the first few lines. As this was the last item she wanted to investigate, she took a deep breath and granted herself time to get it right, dyslexia be damned.

Minutes ticked by as she parsed through the first paragraph. She leaned back in his chair and tilted her head. Fagin owed Spencer some sort of debt. This was definitely interesting, if not related. The dogs were, after all, bringing Fagin money. It was worth a visit to Spencer's office on the other side of town the next day. He probably wouldn't give her much information directly, but she hoped she could spot his lies and make some deductions.

She slid the letter into her pocket and stood. She didn't have time to go through the financial records in greater detail, as at that moment the front door tinkled, and footsteps tapped along the linoleum. She shoved everything back into place and leaped to her feet.


	25. Chapter 25

"Hello?"

Emma knew she had two options: try and hide, or announce her presence. She panicked at the thought of being caught without a good reason for breaking and entering and ducked behind a filing cabinet. She yanked her phone of her pocket, fumbled with it until it was on silent, and settled in to wait.

"Damn it," Fagin growled.

He walked the full length of his business. The door had been jacked open somehow, but it didn't look like anything was missing. This was a scare tactic. It had to be. Someone was trying to make him afraid. Well, it wouldn't work. Fear wasn’t what made his fingers tremble. It was the cold. Definitely the cold because he was cool, calm, and collected. He swallowed awkwardly and entered his office, tossing his worry-tattered hat onto the rack in the corner.

While he peeled his coat off, he thought through the possible perpetrators, which was fairly simple. There was only one person who would do this to Pizza Parlor. He slammed his fist against the desk, causing a handful of papers to flutter to the floor. He was going to make the payments. He had promised up and down and back and forth, but nothing seemed to pacify that demon of a business man.

Well. Ransacking his pizza place wasn't going to make the money come in any faster, he thought with a snide sneer. That sort of behavior was counter intuitive. He conveniently chose to ignore that nothing had been taken or broken and instead let the rage bubble in his belly. He was going to call that monster up and give him a piece of his mind.

He grabbed the receiver of his phone, jabbed his fingers against the buttons, and waited through two rings. Oh-ho-ho, this was going to be good.

"Albert Spencer."

He gulped and tugged at the collar of his shirt. "Hi…" 

"What do you want?" Spencer glanced around his office, glaring particularly harshly at his secretary. The woman flinched and scuttled away, slamming the door behind her. Usually that sort of behavior would garner a reprimand, but he was more concerned with being alone than calling her back in.

"I-I know what you did," Fagin sputtered. "I seen it."

"What are you talking about?"

Fagin hated how Spencer made him feel like some sort of worm—or maybe a beetle, he considered, one that was just where Spencer was going to step next. He shifted his grip on his phone, trying to avoid losing his grasp because of his suddenly sweaty palms.

"The break in, Mr. Spencer. I know your sort of tricks, and I-I won't… I won't back down. You'll get your money, I promise—but—"

"But not today." Spencer leaned forward to grab the coffee mug his secretary had left behind before fleeing. It looked right, but he had no faith in the girl's ability to do anything without constant supervision. Per his expectations, the drink was awful. Two sugars, not one. He scratched a note down on a pad of paper to fire her. "I'm very aware of your situation, Mr. Fagin. And you should be very aware of mine."

"Of course."

"I think I've been more than generous in our dealings. Wouldn't you agree?"

Fagin licked his lips. "Until recently, of course, Mr. Spencer. You've been an—an absolute paragon of—of—of virtue and mercy."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Always. You've always been… that. One of those. A good man!" Fagin stammered onward. "Which is why I was confused to find that you broke into my business. I can't make payments if the parlor can't function."

"You can't make payments?"

"That—that's not what I said." Fagin squeezed his eyes shut. "I'll have your money."

"You'd better," Spencer snapped before slamming his phone down.

Emma watched Fagin drop the phone back into the cradle. The awkward looking man stood up, shoved the phone from the desk, and glared down at it. His shoulders heaving with what looked like exertion, although Emma wasn't sure how much energy actually had to be expended in knocking such a light device to the floor.

"You had no right to wreck my business!" Fagin shook, his hands clenching into fists at his side. One quivering hand raised and a finger pointed angrily at the phone. "This is my property! You have no right to break in and—and—and—"

"Mr. Fagin?"

"I thought I told you to wait in the car."

Emma strained to see who the tiny, feminine voice belonged to, but she couldn't without revealing herself. She shifted lower to the ground and checked the face of her phone. There was a missed call and a text message, but they could wait. She was more concerned with the time. She wondered how long she was going to be stuck in that small space. It had already been worth it, though. The half of a conversation she'd overheard gave her a few leads to follow up.

"Artie said it was okay."

"Artie's not your father."

"Neither are you."

Emma's brow creased. The voice was familiar, achingly so. She shifted a little closer to the edge and willed them to move deeper into the office. Instead, Fagin guided his guest back outside. She sighed and resigned herself to just listening in once again.

"No, maybe not, but I'm in charge of keeping you safe."

"It is safe."

"We don't know that." Fagin cleared his throat. "Go on up front. I'm going to call the sheriff's department and get someone down here to check things out."

The air suddenly left Emma's lungs.

0-0-0

Regina took a long, slow sip of her coffee. It burned a warm trail down her throat, and she closed her eyes as she enjoyed the small comfort. She set the mug aside and picked her crossword up from the table. After a moment of thought, she wrote SAMPAN in the appropriate boxes for a six letter word for wooden boat.

"Mom?"

She sighed. Apparently, she was going to do this puzzle one word at a time. "Yes, dear?"

Henry bounced on the balls of his feet in front of her. He looked chipper, which was unusual for a Sunday morning. Usually, she had to drag him out of bed and that was even with the promise of breakfast wafting around him. This morning, however, he looked more awake than she felt.

"Would you mind if I went to a movie?"

"With whom are you seeing this movie?"

He groaned, feeling that this was some sort of inquisition. Still, he wanted to go, so he grinned and answered, "Ava."

"And?"

"Just Ava."

Regina stopped herself from immediately blurting out a negative response. He was almost twelve, she realized, and she supposed it was entirely normal for his interest in dating to start. It didn't make it any easier on her, of course, but she had learned not to smother him. There had to be a balance between smothering and completely disinterested. She settled on vaguely curious.

"Oh?"

"We're going to see The Chill." He clasped his hands in front of him. "I'll clean my room."

She chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Very well. We can go."

"We?" The despair in his voice nearly made her change her mind, but if he wasn't going in a group, she wasn't going to let him enter a dark theater without some sort of supervision.

"I'll sit a few rows back, and I won't infringe on your date."

His cheeks flushed. "It's not a date…"

She lifted a single eyebrow. "Would you prefer to not go at all?"

His expression cleared instantaneously. "You promise you won't embarrass me?"

"I promise."

"Could Emma do it?"

She stared at him silently, willing him to apologize or take it back. The implication that Emma was somehow cooler than she was hurt her on a deep, emotional level. He hazarded a small, sorry smile and rubbed the back of his neck but didn't rescind his damaging words.

"I suppose you may text her and see if she wishes to attend."

"Really?"

"I could use some company. I've seen the previews, my dear, and the movie looks…" She caught the sad look on his face and sighed. "It looks very entertaining. Now, run along, and text Emma."

His expression rebounded. If Emma were there, Regina would be too distracted to watch him too closely. He might even score a kiss, if everything went well. Ava was an older woman, however, so he had to behave in a mature fashion, which was exactly why he wasn't throwing a fit about this. He was capable of acting much older than he was, and he knew that a few of his friends' parents referred to him as an old soul. She'd definitely be into him.

"Thanks, Mom."

She met his gaze and shared a smile with him before shooing him toward the kitchen where his breakfast was waiting. The crossword would wait yet again. She'd rather spend the rest of her morning with her son. They spent so much time together but interacted only rarely. There was, after all, a distinct difference between wasting time in the same vicinity and mother-son bonding time.

She finished her coffee as she walked, a bit of shock rippling through her as she realized just how far her relationship with Henry had come.

0-0-0

Fagin gathered the phone from the floor and set it gently back on the desk. He cradled the receiver against his shoulder and jabbed his fingers on the buttons. Emma tensed, waiting for her phone to buzz, but nothing happened. Fagin set the phone down, waited a second, and then tried again. This time when her cell remained still, Emma figured out that he had busted the phone during his violent outburst. He seemingly came to the same conclusion as he lifted the device once more and threw it angrily into the trash can.

"Stupid piece of crap." He kicked the can. "Haven't had to buy a new phone in…" He trailed off into a series of unintelligible grunts and grumbles.

Emma waited patiently for his brain to clatter along. She'd seen a phone up at the register, likely the one for taking orders. If he would just go up front to use that one, she could slip out of his office and then get out the back door. It all depended on his intelligence, however, which she realized was a risky bet to take. Still, she crossed her fingers and held her breath until his face brightened.

"Other phone," he murmured to himself. "He won't get away with this."

As soon as he had vacated the office, Emma shifted out of her hiding spot and hurried to the office door. She listened to his footsteps disappearing in the opposite direction before easing out into the hallway and tiptoeing back to the rear exit. This was going to end well, which was a far cry from the original panic she felt on his arrival. She burst out into the morning sunshine and let out a small gasp of relief.

"What are you doing?"

She halted abruptly and turned around.

"Uh…" She searched her brain for a legitimate excuse for skedaddling so quickly from Pizza Parlor's rear exit. The girl who stood behind her was a rather well-to-do looking child with straight brown hair pulled neatly into twin pigtails. She looked highly skeptical of Emma's excuse, and Emma hadn't even spoken yet.

"Well?"

"I'm Emma Swan," Emma stated. This, at least, wasn't a lie. She quickly settled on something believable and continued. "Sheriff Emma Swan. I was taking my morning jog, and I noticed that someone had broken in here. I was just investigating outside until I got the official call. I'm the sheriff… Just doing my job."

The girl's expression eased. "You're the sheriff?"

"Oh yeah." Emma smiled. "Wanna see my badge?"

She shook her head. "Mr. Fagin just got in. You should go around front, unless you want people to think you were responsible for this."

"I'm not, and I will."

"Okay." The girl lifted the lid on the dumpster just beside Emma and threw a trash bag in. "You don't have to convince me."

"Who are you?" Emma decided it was about time to start acting like a proper officer of the law. She was pretty sure nobody had seen her, but she was going to canvass for witnesses. Just in case she was sloppier than she thought she was.

"Jenny Foxworth. I live next door."

"Did you see anything suspicious?"

"Other than you?"

"Other than me," Emma confirmed, wincing a bit. She needed to be more careful.

"No, but I only got up ten minutes ago." Jenny dusted her hands on her jeans. "My mom's been up for a few hours, though. Did you want to talk to her?"

Emma sighed. "Yes. But not right away. Can you have her give the sheriff's station a call when she has a moment, and I'll get a statement from her later?"

Jenny nodded and headed back into her home. Once she was alone, Emma pulled her phone out and pulled up the missed text message. The message was from Henry, and she was about twenty minutes late in seeing it. She chuckled at its poor grammar; even though she could understand his meaning, she was tempted to give him a hard time. His request for a phone call would have to wait, however, as her phone vibrated.

"Sheriff Swan."

"I'm calling to report a break in."

Time to put on a show. Emma switched the phone to her opposite ear. "The address of the break in?"

Fagin rattled off his address, demanded her presence as soon as possible, and then promptly hung up on her. She had a few minutes before she had to walk around the building. She was in the area, after all, but it would be odd to appear too quickly. She accessed her voicemail.

"Emma, you have to come to the movies tonight. You just have to. Mom said she's coming, but that's totally… Ugh… Okay, so I'm going with Ava, and how will I be able to impress her with Mom hanging over my shoulder? I really need you to run some interference. We can call it Operation Lobster. Call me back. Please, Emma. I need this."

She laughed and tucked the phone back into her pocket. She had a lot to do, but there was probably time later to help the kid out. She'd let him sweat for a few hours and give him a call later. First, she had to pretend to investigate the 'crime scene,' and then she was going to look for a certain pawnshop owner. There were too many gaps in her information and going to Gold for help was a risk, he had his hands in most everything. If anyone could tell her about Fagin's financial situation, it would be him.


	26. Chapter 26

Fagin gestured wildly to the broken door. "Someone smashed his way inside!"

"But was anything stolen?" Emma wanted to rest her forehead against her palm, sigh loudly, and shake her head, but she refrained. So, she'd broken one door. It had been an accident. It wasn't like she vandalized the place. His insurance would likely cover the damage. Then again, she didn't know if there was insurance in Storybrooke. The policies must have been strange, she thought, and cover things like accidental magical fires, fairy interference, and collateral damage when fights with evil broke out.

"I haven't checked."

"Do that when I leave," Emma ordered, although she was sure he would find nothing amiss. Then again, if he did have insurance, he might just report that the phone was broken and his till looted, just to spice up his report and seek a bit of money. He probably wouldn't notice the missing letter at all. "And then contact me with a full list so I can write up a report. You'll need that for your insurance, I'm sure."

He grumbled and folded his arms over his chest. "You're not very helpful."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fagin, but there's not much to go off of. I'll ask around your neighbors to see if anyone saw anything, but as it stands, unless you have a guess as to who did this…?"

"I…" She watched hesitation flicker through his gaze. His jaw tensed. "I have no idea."

She wondered why he was bothering to protect Spencer, especially after calling her in to investigate. "If you think of anything, just give me a call."

He rested against the counter and averted his eyes. "I just need to get my business running. So, you can go. You're not needed here."

"If you know something, you need to tell me." She took a step closer. "We may be a bit of a unique town when it comes to following the law, but you can't just take it into your own hands."

"I don't know anything," he snapped. "Now leave."

As she walked away from Pizza Parlor, she tugged her phone out and shot a quick text to Henry asking for the details. She'd help him out, of course, but she wanted to indulge in a bit of teasing first. That was part of parenting, or at least that's what she'd come to believe after watching numerous sitcoms. Love meant a bit of friendly gibing. She hadn't had much of either growing up, so she wasn't quite sure if she was doing it right with Henry, but he hadn't corrected her so far, and neither had Regina.

His return text was pleading, heartfelt, and on the verge of flat out begging. She tossed her phone from hand to hand before tucking it away once more. She'd talk to Gold, and then she'd give him an answer. She wasn't sure she wanted to see The Chill, even if it did mean getting to spend time with Regina. Would this count as their date, she wondered, or would Regina want something more? Was this infringing on anything? She nibbled on her lower lip.

While she jogged down the street, wishing not for the first time that she had bothered to drive her Bug, her thoughts swirled uselessly around her mind. She ought to just call Regina, but she wanted to seem like she had all the answers… like this wasn't something completely new to her. Dating in the past had always been different. She and Neal hadn't quite dated. They had fallen together, and their relationship was like a drop of water in a hot pan. Every subsequent attempt she'd made at finding a romantic entanglement hadn't been traditional, and the last dozen dates she'd gone on were fakes set up to catch bond jumpers. Unlike those men, Regina deserved so much more.

She entered the pawn shop with her mind still bouncing about. There didn’t appear to be anyone in the front of the store, so she busied herself with looking through the myriad items around. According to Regina, they once belonged to various town inhabitants. She wondered if Gold would ever give them back, or if anyone ever managed to repurchase a lost good. Money in this town confused her a bit—where did paychecks come from? How did stores get restocked?

If she thought too long and hard about all the tiny, unanswerables, she’d likely suffer an aneurysm.

"Can I help you?"

She jerked back from examining a unicorn mobile, unaware that Gold had entered the front of the shop. It took a moment for her heart rate to plummet back down to normal from hummingbird. She was glad that she hadn't yelped or emitted any sort of audible surprise.

"Can you tell me anything about Gerald Fagin?" She checked her pocket for the letter, just to make sure it hadn't dropped along the way. She had no interest in showing him or revealing her hand, but she felt more secure knowing it was safe.

"Makes a very fine tasting pizza." Gold's eyes danced. "Pizza Parlor, correct?"

"I know that already," Emma countered. "I'm looking for information I don't already have immediate access to."

"Information comes at a price…"

She reached up and tapped a clear glass unicorn with the tip of her finger. Entering into deals with him was tricky business, and she had no interest in leaving the state again, at least not without her family.

"What do you want?"

"I—"

"And before you make some outrageous demand, I want you to think about how much information you actually have to offer me."

His smile flickered for just a moment. "I have as much as you're willing to pay for."

"Okay. Then name your price."

"Allow Bae partial custody of my grandson."

"That's not within my powers."

"Then I suppose I can't offer you any assistance."

Emma clenched her hands into fists. "At least tell me what you know about the wishing."

"Are you—"

"No. I will not pay for information directly related to keeping Storybrooke safe from imminent magical harm."

Gold shrugged and limped back behind the counter. "You can't fault a man for trying."

Yes, Emma thought, she could. "Will you just tell me already?"

0-0-0

"She said she'd think about it." Henry dropped his chin onto his forearms and pouted.

Regina stifled a laugh. Perhaps he thought she'd relent if he looked pathetic enough. Too bad for him that she was used to his charming face. She reached over and tweaked his cheek. "Then I suppose for now you're stuck with me."

"This is going to be super embarrassing."

"So, having two mothers come out with you is somehow less mortifying than just one?"

He blushed. "It's just that you could talk to each other, and not as much to Ava? Y'know? The chances of you saying something that'll make me want to melt into the ground or die or something are a lot lower if Emma's there, too."

"I promise I won't say anything to her, if that will make you feel any better."

"I guess." He shrugged. "But, like, that extends to all time periods. Like before the movie, during the movie, and after the movie."

"Are you going to escort her to dinner?"

"I… No. Should I?"

He looked so genuinely perplexed that she eased her assault. "That's commonly done on dates in this world, if the media is anything to judge by. Would you like to take her somewhere?"

"Nah, not this time." He toyed with his fork. "But maybe if she agrees to a next time?"

"Has she grown out of her—"

"She's not a thief," he cut in. "She stopped that after her dad took her and Nicholas in. She's been trying really hard to be good. You know how that is."

She turned to the sink to do the dishes but also to block her face from his view. It was so rare that he acknowledged that she was putting forth a concentrated effort to be what he needed her to be. "I do.” After a moment, she asked, “Have you finished your homework?" 

She finished rinsing the dishes and set them in the dishwasher. She could hear him fidgeting behind her, but when she turned, he was perfectly still and smiling innocently.

"Of course."

"I may not be Ms. Swan, Henry, but I can still tell when you're lying." She stared him down until his smile cracked. "What's left?"

"Just this take home math test. It'll only take like an hour. I can do it tonight."

"You can also do it now."

They stared at each other for several seconds until he sighed loudly and turned his gaze to the ground. "You're going to make me, aren't you?"

"Why don't you want to do it?"

He was silent a moment longer. "Well, it's hard. And I work better under pressure. I'll get it done, okay? Just not right now."

"Would you like my help?"

He brought his gaze back to her face. "You know how to do math?"

"I've been balancing budgets for years," she offered. "I may not know exactly what you're learning, but I'll do my best. You could teach me the subject, and then, we'll look at it together."

"And you won't… You won't get angry?"

"At what?"

"At me, if I can't do it."

"Why would you think that?"

He grimaced. "Well, you used to be the evil queen and all… I mean, I know you're not now, but…"

"You're afraid of me."

"No!" He lifted his hands to placate her. "It's not like that. It's just that…"

She wanted to walk toward him, but she wasn't sure how that would go over. Instead, she stayed rooted to her spot by the sink. "Just that what, Henry?"

"You've got high standards," he finally admitted. "And I heard about what happened to people who didn't meet your expectations."

"Henry." Hating the sight of sadness and distrust in his eyes, she walked slowly to his side and bent down to look in his eyes. She didn't have to bend as far as she used to, she noted with some displeasure. She knew he was growing up, both physically and emotionally, but she knew she'd have a hard time accepting that he wasn't still her little boy. "You can't fail unless you don't try. The rules in place for other people don't apply to you."

His lips twitched, and she could see the gears turning in his head. "So, you won't get angry if I don't pass a class?"

"As long as you've tried your hardest." She arched an eyebrow. "This isn't permission to daydream in class, young man."

He grinned wryly, but there was still hesitation in his gaze. "I don't."

She tried again. "Henry, you could fail, and I'd still love you. I love you unconditionally. That's something I didn't have as a child, and I refuse to let you live without. I value you more than I value any potential success you may or may not achieve. Don't ever forget that."

He dug his hands into his pockets. "I didn't pass last week's test…"

"Did you want to see a tutor?"

"I thought I could fail, and it would be okay?"

She hugged him to her. "You can fail, but that doesn't mean you should be content to fail."

"I tried my hardest.”

"I know, dear." She stood and pushed him gently toward the stairs. "And that's why I'm not angry. But we're going to work on this together. I know you can do it."

"What if I can't?"

"We're all skilled in one area or another," Regina responded. "Even Ms. Swan has a skill. Math may not be yours, but you'll find your specialty."

0-0-0

Regina reclined on the love seat, content to relax and soak in this rare moment alone. She didn't dare pick up her crossword, as it seemed to be cursed to attract interruptions, but instead folded her ankles neatly and stared up at the ceiling. Bliss, it seemed, was a studying son and a quiet house. Well, she amended, it would be better if Emma were present. She could admit that silently to herself.

She sighed. It would certainly be a weight off her shoulders if she could confirm or deny that their feelings for one another were caused by her wish or naturally occurring. At the moment, she couldn't bring herself to hope for the latter, despite only feeling dread regarding the former. It would be her luck for the first real romantic feelings since Daniel to be the result of a misguided wish.

She blinked and tried to focus on something other than Emma, but her thoughts inevitably drifted from what she would make for dinner back to the blonde. Emma was becoming a facet in her life, one that was persistent and immovable. The woman had somehow made it feel like she'd always been a part of Regina's small family, and now, Regina could barely remember a time when Emma wasn't sleeping in her arms.

She had rather enjoyed being held, she considered. It was certainly something she'd want to do again; it had been too long since she'd felt that safe with anyone, and even holding Ms. Swan hadn't evoked the same feelings of rightness within her. She drummed her fingers on the armrest and closed her eyes. Although she wouldn't be able to rest without Ms. Swan nearby, she could at least try to let her mind slow its whirling machinations. Unfortunately, it felt like her brain was a swirl of confusing thoughts and the only cure was a certain missing blonde woman.


	27. Chapter 27

Emma peered expectantly at him. "Well?"

Gold sighed. "I can just tell you what I told Regina. When certain residents have been making wishes, those wishes have been coming true."

"Certain residents." Emma stalked closer. She leaned over the counter, knowing she wouldn't intimidate him but wanting a clear read on his eyes when he answered. He was a clever liar, but this was her super power. "Which residents?"

"Why?" He cocked his head to the side. "Is there something you're concerned about? A certain detente between previously hostile parties?"

"What do you know?"

"Just that you've been spending quite a bit of time at the mayor's residence. Why is that, Ms. Swan?"

"She's taking care of my kid," Emma retorted, frustration lacing her words. She wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, but he found physical violence so entertaining that she knew it wouldn't do much more than make him titter.

He seemed to know how close to harming him she was; he dusted his suit jacket off with a few casual flicks of his wrist and stepped back. "I see. So, there's nothing you're worried about?"

"If I am worried, it's none of your business."

"Well, I'm afraid that, as far as the public is concerned, that's as much information as you need. Anything further," he crossed to the door separating the front of the store from the back, "and you'll need to pay. That's for your own private use, correct?"

"How much?"

"The price remains—"

"I can't do that." She barely avoided slamming her fists into the fragile glass of his display case. "That's all Regina's domain. What I can do is talk to her and see if he can start some sort of visitation."

"Unsupervised."

"I can't make that promise, not at first." Emma licked her lips. "But I can be pretty damn convincing."

"You secure your end, and then you can come back for the information." Gold gestured to the door. "Now, go. I have more important things to do than talk to you."

She growled and moved toward him, but he had already disappeared into the rear of the store. Fine. This was just fine. There wouldn't be an issue with getting Regina's consent. All she had to do was make sure Regina was in a good mood before asking. She could accomplish that easily—especially if she made sure their sort-of date that evening was especially good. She stalked out of the pawn shop, feeling uneasy and angry, as well as completely unsure of how to deal with the churning emotions.

She wanted to go back to Regina's and curl up next to the brunette woman, who was seemingly a balm for any ailment, but she resisted. Until they had an answer, she didn't want things to get any more complicated than they were. With a reluctant slouch in her shoulders, she trudged a weary path back to Snow's apartment.

"Where have you been?"

Emma blinked at the sudden onslaught. She'd barely stepped inside, and she already wanted to leave. "What do you mean?"

"You were here last night and then weren't this morning." Snow's tone eased as her eyes trailed along Emma's form, searching for any visible signs of harm. When she found none, she sighed with relief and reached to take Emma's hands. "I was so worried."

"I'm a grown woman, Snow. There's not a lot to worry about when it comes to me in this town."

"What was I supposed to think?"

"That I'd gone out."

"Next time," Snow pleaded, "just leave a note. You're a mother. You know how it feels."

Actually, Emma wanted to argue, neither of them could really call themselves mothers. They had children, but they also had extremely unusual circumstances. Even with Regina’s permission and acceptance, she struggled to see herself as Henry’s mother. Maybe that would come with time, but she certainly doesn’t understand how quickly and innately Snow stepped into motherhood, despite thirty years of separation.

"Sorry," Emma eventually said. She unzipped her jacket and slung it onto the nearest chair, knowing full well it would irritate Snow's neater tendencies. She shouldn't antagonize the other woman, but she couldn't help herself. Snow was irritating her. She was fully grown and no longer in need of parenting. Ironic that she had no parents when she needed them, and now that she didn't need them, there they were.

"I don't think you are."

"Look, I'm sorry you're upset, but I'm not sorry I did my own thing. Isn't that good enough for you?"

Snow threw her hands up. "And I'm sorry for caring about you."

Emma sighed. "This is escalating a little too fast for a Sunday. Can we just bring it back down?"

"Fine."

"You could start by not glaring at me," Emma suggested, "and unfolding your arms."

Snow's rigid stance relented, and she stomped as daintily as she could into the kitchen. "I don't suppose you could be convinced to have lunch with us?"

"What are we having?" Emma kept her tone upbeat. She wanted Snow in her life, but they desperately needed to find some sort of middle ground. They couldn't keep playing tug of war with their relationship.

"I was going to make sandwiches. I suppose you could have something fancier with—"

"Sandwiches are fine," Emma cut in. "They're great, actually. Need any help?"

"No."

"Emma!" Charming thundered down the stairs, his hair wet. He ran his hand through the quickly drying locks and grinned. "See, Snow, I told you."

"Lunch will be ready shortly."

David cleared his throat. "Right. So, Emma, any luck with the dog?"

"I'm chasing down a lead right now, which is a lot better than chasing down a dog."

"Wanna talk it over?" He took a seat at the table and drummed his fingers on the surface. "It could help to bounce the idea off someone else?"

Emma went to her jacket and rescued the letter from its pocket. On returning to the table, she slid it in front of David. While he browsed its contents, she sat down, folded her arms, and sighed. There were many thoughts bouncing around her head, and it was difficult to put them into an order that someone else would understand.

"So, I think the dog theft is related to that place Pizza Parlor. The dog from the tape, the one we've been chasing, was wearing a bandana. I saw the same bandana on a pizza delivery boy the other night. With that in mind, I went to investigate a little, and I found some weird stuff. There's some connection between Fagin and Albert Spencer."

"King George?" David interrupted. "Are you sure?"

"I took that letter from Fagin's office. I'm not sure what it means just yet because I haven't really had time to give it a thorough read, but I overheard a conversation on the phone where Fagin was really angry about something, and it was definitely someone named 'Spencer' he was furious with."

"Emma… you overheard a private conversation?" David rubbed his temples. "Tell me you weren't breaking the law."

She flushed. "The law is relative in this town, isn't it?"

"We're the good guys. We do the right thing, even if it's hard."

"And sometimes the right thing looks suspiciously like the wrong thing," she stated, a shameful smile slipping across her lips. "But it's still the right thing."

He chuckled. "I really shouldn't encourage you, but your mom was a bandit. I don't know how good I should expect you to be."

"The point is that there's something going on between them. Fagin mentioned having to make payments. I have a lot to do today, so I’m not sure I have time to read that letter,” she lied deftly, not looking to discuss her dislike of reading. “Mind looking it over for me?”

"Sure," David answered. "And I'll do some digging."

"So." Snow smiled at her and slid the plate with her sandwich across the table. "Let's just forget this morning, okay?"

"Okay." Emma was more than willing to capitulate to these terms. If Snow was willing to try, then so was she. The problem was that she wasn't sure how to interact with Snow now or what they would talk about. She certainly had no interest in discussing her personal life, especially now that she knew Snow to be a touch judgmental.

"How's work?"

Emma squirmed. She didn't like small talk. It made her uncomfortable as it was a reminder of how she used to trap individuals in their lies. The chatter was fake and topical—a waste of time, in too many words. She supposed it was better than discussing something important with them.

"Odd that we're so busy right now. I'm used to things being quiet." She ground her teeth and managed to add, "And how are the kids at the school?"

Snow beamed. "They're so smart. You'd never be able to tell that they'd been stunted for nearly thirty years. They just soak up new information like little sponges."

"Are you teaching them about here or there?"

"A bit of both," Snow continued, barely noticing that Emma's expression had glazed over. "I think a well-rounded education shouldn't ignore our roots, even if we are here for the foreseeable future. I do wish we could go back."

"Stop!" Emma's attention catapulted back to the present. She jumped to her feet, knocking her chair back. "Don't do that!"

"Don't do what?"

"Don't use that word!" Emma couldn't keep the panic from her voice. She ran to the window, pulled the curtains aside, and peered out into the world. God, please let them still be in Maine. She had lived through the Enchanted Forest once, and once was definitely enough.

"Emma? What are you doing?" Snow stood slowly, exchanging worried glances with David, and crossed to Emma's side. She placed a hand on Emma's back and bent to look outside as well.

Emma blinked a few times, trying to ascertain if what she was seeing was actually reality. "Hm?"

"Why are we looking out the window?"

Emma had never been so relieved to see Storybrooke. She let out a long-winded sigh of relief and rocked back on her heels. "Because you wished that we were in the Enchanted Forest. I thought maybe, with how wonky things are around here, that maybe it came true."

"Oh, well, in my experience, wishes are granted to the purest of heart. Once you're my age, Emma, you stop expecting them to come true and work toward what you want with your own efforts." Snow marched back to the table.

"So, you're saying that wishes are stronger when kids make them?"

"They were back in the Forest anyway," Snow responded, taking her seat once more. "There's nothing stronger than the wish of a child."

Emma returned to the table as well but leaned against her chair instead of sitting down. She gnawed on her lower lip for a long moment. "Did wishes ever come true for adults? Like if you wanted it hard enough, do you think it's possible?"

"I mean, I suppose it is but probably not. You're so full of questions about the Forest, Emma. I'm so pleased you're interested in your heritage."

Yeah, Emma thought, that was exactly why she was asking these particular questions. Rather than correct Snow's misapprehension, she grabbed the last half of her sandwich and jammed it into her mouth. She chewed quickly and swallowed, brushing the crumbs from her lips with the back of her hand. "You've given me an idea about the case. I really need to go see where it leads. David, gimme a call if you figure anything out."

0-0-0

Emma barely waited for Regina to open the door before springing forward and entering the manor. She paced the front hall for a moment, licked her lips, and met Regina's gaze. They could test this, she realized, but they'd need Henry.

"Henry!"

"He's working on his homework."

"I'll bet." Emma leaned on the railing of the stairs and peered up to the second floor. "Henry! Come down here! Just for a second!"

Regina sighed. "Ms. Swan, what's this about?"

"You'll see." Emma pulled back and met her gaze evenly. "I promise, this'll clear things up. Between us, I mean. One way or another, we're gonna have some sort of an answer."

"That's hardly comforting," Regina groused. She folded her arms over her chest and cocked an eyebrow. "Seems to me you've had a busy day already."

"I'm hoping to cap it off by taking you to a movie?" Emma cleared her throat. "I know it doesn't really count as a date because it's Henry's thing. But. Well. I could still treat you and take you and sorta pretend that it was my idea?"

"That would be fine," Regina conceded. "Although—“

"Ah-ah-ah," Emma interrupted. "You're expecting me to fail. I know this because I, too, am expecting me to fail. So, I just want both of us to lose the expectations. Maybe I'll surprise us, right?"

"I wasn't going to say something to that effect." Regina's grip on her upper arms tightened. She wondered if that was how Emma saw most things in life, as potential for failure. "I was going to say that this movie isn't the most romantic of selections. Henry has a bit to learn when it comes to taking girls out."

"Nah, maybe she chose it? She could be into scary movies."

"Perhaps." Regina listened to Henry's door click shut and the patter of his footsteps. "Are you going to explain now why you're here?"

After crashing down the stairs and smiling meekly at Regina’s reproving stare, Henry mirrored Regina's posture. "What's up?"

Emma spread her hands flat in front of her. "Okay, so, Henry I need you to make a wish. For like a puppy or something simple."

"Why?"

"Can you cut the questions just this once?" Emma tapped her foot impatiently. "Wish for a puppy."

"Emma, I'm not sure this is—" Regina cut herself off at the sudden frantic yipping at the front door. Henry bounded over and yanked the door open; a small white dog tripped over its over-sized paws in its excitement to enter.

"Can we keep it?" Henry fell to his knees and pulled the squirming animal into his arms. It barked playfully and lapped at his cheeks. He laughed, trying to keep its tongue from his nostrils and mouth. "Please, Mom?"

"Absolutely not." Regina looked terribly affronted. "Ms. Swan, what is the meaning of this."

"Regina, now you wish for something."

"Another puppy," Henry suggested. "To go with Bolt."

"No more puppies," Regina snapped. She could just imagine the creature's claws defacing her beautiful hardwood.

"Then something else," Emma prodded. "This is really important, Regina."

"Very well." Regina considered what her simple wish should be. Wishing the puppy away seemed like such a good option, but she hadn't seen Henry so pleased in years. She couldn't take that from him. She could use some fresh flowers, she decided, as the bouquet adorning the dining room table was beginning to wilt. She wished, waited a moment, and then opened the door.

"What did you wish for?"

"Fresh flowers…" Regina couldn't keep the confusion from her voice.

"I wished for a spicy Italian sub." Emma shrugged. "The thing is, Regina, that we're adults. Adults don't get their wishes fulfilled."

"So, you're saying-"

"That you couldn't have wished us together." Emma smiled proudly. "This, whatever this is, is all us."

"Um," Henry interjected, the puppy still squiggling happily in his grasp. "Actually…"


	28. Chapter 28

"Henry?" Regina couldn't stop the tension from rising in her. She wasn't angry at him but at herself. She'd actually allowed herself to believe that Ms. Swan could honestly care for her. She was the Evil Queen and didn't deserve good things. It had been idiotic to forget that, even for a week. "What are you saying?"

"Yeah, kid. Spit it out," Emma urged. She hated the look of dejection that passed over Regina's face.

"Well…" Henry scratched the back of his neck. As soon as his hand was loose, the puppy scrambled free and ran barking to the kitchen. "So, this is about wishes, right?"

"Yeah."

He shifted his gaze guiltily to the floor. "You two have been getting along, right?"

Emma had never wanted to shake a child so badly before. "Yeah."

"Okay, so, don't get angry, but right when we got back, I sorta made a wish that you two would be friends." He scuffed his foot against the hardwood. "I thought it would be nice to have both of you around and maybe less fighting. You know?"

Regina's expression softened. "Oh, Henry, you should have said something."

"I didn't think it would actually work…"

"Kid, this isn't your fault, okay? This is for me and your mom to work out between us. I don't think your wish did this to us."

"If nothing else, your wish kept me from slamming the door in Ms. Swan's face the first morning she approached me for help," Regina added. She didn't quite believe what she was saying, but it was a beautiful lie. "Anything that progressed from there was our own doing, sweetheart."

"So, I didn't mess things up?"

"Nope," Emma hugged him tightly and was surprised when Regina placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. The woman wouldn't join this sort of group hug, but the slight pressure was a fairly clear display of her affection.

"We're keeping him, right? My dog?" Henry pulled out of Emma's embrace and stared at Regina with the largest doe-eyes he could muster. "I promise I'll walk him every day, and I'll train him, and I'll feed him, and I'll—"

"Probably stop doing all those things in a few weeks," Emma interrupted. "Kid, pets are for life. Do you understand that? Even when he's not a puppy anymore, and he might not be as cute, you have to hold onto him."

"I know that." His cheeks colored, however, as he considered that he probably would forget about his responsibilities the moment he got a new video game. It wouldn't be mean or on purpose. Maybe they could just remind him. "I want him, and I'll take care of him. I promise."

Regina really didn't want the dog in her house, but she also didn't want to remove the joy from his life. While she was trying to figure out some sort of compromise, Emma sighed loudly.

"Okay, here's the deal, kid. If you guys can watch him until I can find a new apartment, I'll take him. You'll have to come over and walk him every day, but I'll take care of the rest." Emma extended her hand to Henry, waiting for him to shake it and finalize the deal.

"I really can't have him here?"

Regina glanced appreciatively at Emma. "No, Henry. If you want the dog, you'll have to do what Ms. Swan says."

Emma grinned. "Also you'll owe me big time."

His nose wrinkled. "I'm gonna have to help you move, aren't I?"

"For starters," Emma agreed. "And we'll see what else from there. Now, go catch my dog."

As Henry darted off, Regina snorted. "After all this business with dogs and theft around town, I didn't think you'd be interested in adopting a mutt yourself."

Emma stared after Henry, unwilling to admit that she'd felt a bit like a stray dog as a child.

"In any event, I'm glad you're here," Regina said after a lengthy silence. She had noticed the sadness that passed over Emma's features but didn't know quite how to address it. Rather than linger on their joint discomfort, she tried to move forward. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Emma shook her head briefly to shake the cobwebs loose. "Oh. I wasn't planning on staying… I just wanted to, y'know, prove that this wasn't a wish, but that sorta fell flat, huh? I… uh, I don't know where that leaves us."

Regina folded her arms. She felt like she were being physically tugged in two directions. One side was being yanked by her resilience. She was a strong, independent woman who had gone quite some time without being emotionally reliant on another person. This wish had confused her and her sensibilities. It had twisted her concept of what was important in her life; Henry would always be first and foremost, but suddenly, Emma had ousted herself for second place.

The other side was being tugged by the gross affection she had for Emma. Was it so horrible, she wondered, to love and be loved, regardless of the circumstance? The two idiots had no choice in the matter after all, thanks to their true love status, and neither of them seemed all depressed that fate had robbed them of their free will. This side wasn't the slightest bit concerned by Emma's importance and was actually a bit tired of her self-imposed isolation.

She squeezed her arms, unsure of which aspect of herself she wanted to win. Until one did, however, she was sliding back and forth between calmly accepting Emma's attentions and fighting desperately to maintain a semblance of distance. It certainly didn't help that Emma knew more about her than anyone else—and she'd wager she knew just as much about the blonde. Things were easy between them now and horribly, terribly comfortable.

Emma shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Regina?"

"Hm?"

"You're kinda making me nervous…" Emma licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak again, to let the word vomit spill forth, Regina determined.

In order to save Emma the potential embarrassment, Regina cut in. "I think we're where we want to be."

"What?"

"Disregarding any of the circumstances surrounding our initial contact, the fact remains that Henry wished for friendship, and what is currently—burgeoning—between us is something much…"

"Better?"

"More," Regina concluded. "I'm willing to believe that what you're feeling is of your own free will-"

"And what you're feeling?"

Regina hedged. "This isn't—"

"If you say this isn't about you, I might have to do something drastic."

"Drastic?" Regina snorted. "You're as terrifying as a toy poodle."

Emma stepped closer, cupped Regina's cheeks, and pulled the brunette into a gentle kiss. When she pulled back a moment later, her face was flushed. Her eyes darted between Regina's, searching desperately for some sort of positive response.

"That was your definition of drastic?" Regina pressed her fingers to her lips. She successfully fought the smile away and gave Emma a terse glare. There was nothing harsh in her gaze, however, and she was trying to protect herself more than she was trying to harm Emma.

"Well…" Emma jammed her hands into her pockets. "Gimme a bit of time to think, and I promise I can be more diabolical."

"No," Regina responded. "I like your simplicity, dear."

Emma's eyes widened. "I think that's the most direct compliment you've ever given me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. Sometimes I just feel…" Emma cleared her throat as Henry galloped back with the puppy in his arms.

"I found him!"

"Great, kid," Emma praised, grateful for the interruption.

Regina bit her tongue, not wanting to reprimand Henry for interrupting but incredibly curious as to what Emma had to say. The moment had passed, however, and no amount of scolding was going to coax Emma into revealing herself once more. Perhaps it would come up later, she thought, and maybe Emma wouldn’t shove the emotion back down in favor of smiling in the face of all her problems once more.

"Perhaps you should take him into the backyard to play," she suggested, her eyes gliding along Henry's smiling face. When she met his gaze, she smiled back at him and lifted her eyebrows. "Run along now."

"I have to get ready," he argued. "You know. For my date."

"You wanted a puppy." Emma shrugged, lifting her hands to shoulder height before letting them drop to her sides. "You agreed to take care of it for now."

"Like right now right now?"

"Like right now," Emma confirmed. "Because it looks like your little friend isn't house trained."

Henry nearly threw the dog when he felt the warm wetness spreading on his stomach. He groaned and pretended to retch. Despite his pleading, Emma refused to hold the dog, instead watching as Henry tried to keep the dog under one arm while holding his t-shirt away from his body with the other hand. The smell, Emma noted, was pretty pungent.

"Get used to that." Emma chuckled. "Dogs tend to do that."

"Dogs go outside," Henry instructed the squiggling fur ball.

"He had better not mistake my carpeting for a toilet."

Emma waved her hand flippantly. "I'll move as fast as I can."

"Did you need any help?" Regina pursed her lips to cut off her eager offer and proceeded again but much slower. "If you require assistance, I know many of the empty apartments and houses in Storybrooke. I'm sure I could narrow your search down considerably."

"Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I'll know it when I see it."

Regina watched Henry trot toward the backyard with the dog in his arms before turning back to Emma. She wasn't sure how to broach the topic they'd quite nearly reached, but she sensed that it was important in some fashion. It was still so difficult to talk honestly about anything regarding their feelings when they weren't ensconced in the warm safety of a bed.

"You were going to say something."

Emma shook her head. "Nah, I don't even remember what we were talking about. I should really get going."

"Ms. Swan."

"What?"

Regina stepped forward, aware that there might be a pint-sized eavesdropper lingering nearby. She lowered her voice. "If there is to be anything between us, you need to be somewhat comfortable sharing personal details."

"I know." Emma couldn't stop the frustration from entering her tone. "I don't see you being an open book, either."

"I'm perfectly comfortable sharing with you in any situation."

"Yeah?" Emma snorted and folded her arms over her chest, a small smirk toying with her lips. "So, tell me something personal. We'll trade."

"You have to ask something specifically." Regina tried to push the sudden discomfort down. She had already boldly claimed that she was willing, so there was no backing down.

"Do I scare you?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Emma leaned closer. "Come on. You said you'd be honest."

Regina glared, but Emma merely grinned back. Through gritted teeth, she managed a quiet, "Yes."

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"What were you going to say?"

Emma licked her lips and took a half-step back. Her mouth moved wordlessly for a few moments until Emma laughed uncomfortably. "It wasn't anything important."

"Emma," Regina demurred. She placed a firm hand on Emma's forearm. "You said you'd be honest."

"Ugh. You’re not supposed to throw my own words back in my face."

"And you're not supposed to keep stalling."

"Okay… So…" Emma cleared her throat. She knew she'd have to have some sort of answer for Regina, but she regretted even almost saying it. Making waves was hardly a good idea, and she was pretty sure Regina barely tolerated her most of the time, regardless of their sleeping arrangement. She really didn't want to say anything that could jeopardize the fragile nature of their current situation. But Regina was watching her with a sort of predatory ferocity, and she couldn't just dodge the question. "So, the thing is sometimes I don't feel like I'm enough. Y'know?"

Regina's brow furrowed. "Explain yourself."

Although Regina's demeanor did nothing to ease Emma's discomfort, she tried to do as she was asked. "Well, you're just so together. And I'm just this mess of sleeping problems and family problems and identity problems, and I really can't name one thing in my life that's not a problem, y'know? The thing is I'm a work in progress, and you're a work of art. So, sometimes I get… well, intimidated. Like what could you possibly see in someone like me?"

Emma licked her lips and sighed. She stared at Regina until the brunette responded, although the several seconds of silence nearly pushed her to run. Not this time, she told herself. She'd spent her life time running from anything that could hurt or that mattered, but she had stopped for Henry, and she would stop for Regina now.

"I see many things, Ms. Swan. I see someone like myself, who has been hurt before. I see someone willing but scared." Regina invaded her personal space once more. "I see someone who wants and doesn't know how to deal with being wanted."

"None of this sounds like good stuff."

"Nobody is perfect. Myself perhaps least of all. If my conduct has been harmful, I will do my best to rectify—"

"Thank you, but you just keep doing your thing, okay? Ignore me. It's stupid." With a final clearing of her throat, Emma stepped back toward the door. "I'll let you guys get back to your stuff. I'll be back in a few hours for the movie, yeah?"

Regina followed after her. "Ms. Swan, you're going to let our son wish a puppy into existence, and then you're going to leave me here to deal with the consequences?"

Emma flushed. "Well—I mean—“

"This is not appropriate behavior. You will stay, and you will clean up the little messes it has created."

"I think Henry named it Bolt."

"Well then Bolt’s messes are yours to clean up." Emma looked at the door, and Regina could tell there was some internal battle being duked out in Emma's mind. In an attempt to ease the tension, Regina brushed her lips over Emma's ear. "We've covered some emotional topics this afternoon; if you stay, I can promise that we won't discuss them further."

"Ugh," Emma huffed. She hated how much she loved Regina's raspy voice in her ear. The woman had such a sultry tone when she whispered, and the sound sent happy shivers down Emma's spine, especially when Regina wasn't threatening to ruin her in some fashion. This was a promise, just as the threats were, but the end result was much more tantalizing.

"Does ugh translate into 'Why thank you for your kind offer'?"

"Yeah… but that wasn't really a kind anything. Ms. Swan, stay and clean up dog urine. Real inviting, Regina." Before Regina could pull away, indignant, Emma boldly kissed her cheek. "But it's time with you, so…"

Regina couldn't quite keep the pleased blush from gracing her cheeks, so she turned and led the way to the living room, where they could watch Henry romping about the backyard with the furry invader without having to deal with the puppy's energy themselves.

Emma pressed her forearm to the window frame as she leaned forward to gaze out into the yard. She had a dog now. The thought was a bit unnerving, and she was beginning to wonder if she'd made some gross error in judgment. She'd never had a dog before. Hell, she barely knew how to handle Pongo when she was called upon to retrieve him from a neighbor's yard. She clearly couldn't catch or control the dog thief running around town.

This poor creature was going to have the worst master, she thought morosely. A frown tugged at her lips. When she'd given up Henry, she'd done it because she knew that anyone else would be able to raise him better than she would. It hurt like hell to let them walk away with that tiny bundle, but it had been the right decision at the time.

And now here she was, wantonly taking responsibility for a baby animal. She couldn't keep her own baby, but she could adopt a puppy at the drop of a hat. Her frown deepened and then eased as Regina slid a hand along her lower back.

"You look—“

"It's nothing," Emma interrupted. She forced a smile on. "Just thinking about how rough it'll be to actually move out of the apartment."

"Do you believe Snow will put up a fuss?"

"I believe that it'll be hard to leave the first place that felt like home." Emma dragged her gaze away from the backyard.

"You'll find your own place."

"I've always had my own place. And it's never meant anything. It's just a place to keep my stuff. Living alone wasn't lonely before, but now, I know how it feels to be around people who give a damn. I… I don't know if I'll be okay living alone now."

"Henry will come by."

"I know," Emma responded, hoping to sound surer than she felt.

"You don't have to move out if you think-"

"I do have to." Emma rubbed the back of her neck and offered Regina a sad smile. "I'm not really built for living in close quarters, y'know? I did enough of that as a kid. Sometimes it felt like we were sardines instead of orphans."

"Are you worried that moving out will destroy the tenuous relationship you have with Snow?"

"I mean, I guess? But that's ridiculous, right? Whatever I have with her… It's not the best right now, and it's definitely not based on us living together."

"Mary-Margaret was your roommate and friend before you knew that Snow White was your mother. The beginning of your relationship was her offer of a home to you when you needed it. It's not ridiculous to associate that apartment with the woman you used to know."

"That's just it. It's like all I have left of Mary-Margaret." Emma spoke slowly, the knowledge hitting her as she said it. "If I leave, it's like I'm…"

Regina raised her eyebrows. "You're what, dear?"

"I'm giving up." Emma flexed her hands. "I'm saying there's nothing left of that woman who meant so much to me."

"You can continue—"

"I know that I can talk as much as I want to Snow, but leaving means accepting that she's Snow White, and my Mary-Margaret is some sort of distant memory. It's like she died, and now, I'm expected to love her twin."

Regina averted her gaze. She had caused this. Her blasted curse had created two different personalities in every resident, and it was therefore her fault that Emma was having to deal with reconciling her friend with her mother. The apology remained locked in her throat, as she didn't want to make this about herself.

"Anyway…" Emma cleared her throat in an attempt to dispel the discomfort. The tension lingered like a wet blanket around her shoulders. She was happy to share with Regina, but it wasn't natural to her. She preferred burying her fears and thoughts away until she could process them alone or with a case of beer. "Henry seems happy."

"He does, and it is, in part, because of you." Regina could tell from Emma's expression that she had pushed far enough for one afternoon. Getting as much as she had was progress in itself. Rather than ask for more, she backed away and poured herself a small tumbler of cider. "But you can't let him get away with not fulfilling his responsibilities."

"Why do you think I would?" Emma took one last moment to dwell on her depressed thoughts before shaking her head and adopting a happier expression. Her playful grin was fairly convincing, but she didn't think she was fooling Regina in the slightest.

"Because I would do the same," Regina responded. She filled a second tumbler and slipped into Emma's grasp. "He could get away with practically anything, and I would simply be grateful for his presence in my life."

"It's a good thing he's a good kid. If he was a little asshole, that wouldn't work out for you so well."

"I am indeed fortunate." Regina took a long, slow sip. "As much as it pains me to admit, he has some fine genes."

"That did sound physically painful."

"I am a bit afraid that my tongue may fall out." Regina smirked. "However, I am not against giving credit where credit is due."

"You're willing to admit that Snow White has some good genes?"

"I'm willing to admit that you do."

"You are aware of where I got my genes, right?"

Regina gritted her teeth. "Sometimes too aware for my own comfort."


	29. Chapter 29

Emma plopped onto the love seat and fiddled with her glass. She watched Regina move around the room, and although she wondered what Regina was up to, she didn't voice her question. She drank her cider and made no effort to disguise what, exactly, her eyes were focusing on.

"Enjoying your view?"

"You have a very nice ass," Emma replied. She cringed at her use of profanity, which suddenly felt wrong in Regina's presence. "So, how are we planning on embarrassing the kid?"

"We aren't." Regina looked affronted and frowned deeply at Emma.

"Oh, come on. You're going with him on his date, and you're honestly not planning on torturing him?"

"Correct."

"You've been a mom a lot longer than I have, but seriously? You've never indulged in what is arguably the best part of being a parent. That's part of the job, right? Care for, love, and embarrass?"

Regina snorted. "Hardly."

"Then what do you think the best part of being a parent is?"

"Watching him grow," Regina said without any hesitation. She took a seat next to Emma, and her lips curled up. "He was very small when I adopted him and so dependent. I'll admit I've had my own… slight… issues in letting him become his own person."

Emma laughed. "Slight issues?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "After all we've been through, however, I've come to understand that he will remain closer if I agree to let him free."

"Kids are like greased pigs."

"How do you figure?"

"You spend so long chasing after them, and then they just wiggle through your fingers." Emma finished her drink and set the tumbler aside.

"I hesitate to think of our son as a pig."

"I've seen how he keeps his room when you're not there to tell him to clean it up. He's a piglet, I promise."

0-0-0

Henry crouched near Bolt and tugged the puppy's haunches until Bolt tumbled into his lap. The puppy scrambled upright and immediately launched into a fit of kisses, his long pink tongue flicking up into Henry's nostrils. Fighting laughter, Henry wrestled Bolt down and scratched under the wiggling animal's chin.

"You really gotta behave for Emma," he whispered. Bolt's ears perked up. "She doesn't have to be nice and keep you, okay? So, if you make trouble…"

Bolt's ears lowered against his skull. He lapped at Henry's cheeks but in a more demure fashion. Henry rubbed his nose on Bolt's forehead. Despite what his moms had said, he still felt guilty that he had interfered in whatever it was that was going on between them. Neither of them had explicitly told him anything, but he was a smart kid. He could tell that there was definitely something brewing between the strong-willed women, and frankly, he was pretty excited about that. Having them both around was great, so having them both around and getting along was fantastic.

"The point is," he continued, "that if you're good, then she'll want to keep you more. If you're bad, she'll just hand you off to someone else."

He swallowed awkwardly. He wondered if he had been a bad baby—if that was why she'd given him away. He hadn't thought about things like that in a while, but he was discovering the hurt feelings lingered long after he thought he'd forgiven Emma for putting him up for adoption. He understood, to some degree, that she was giving him his best shot and that everything had worked out in the end. Still, he hadn't been able to look past the simple fact that she had given him up.

Life would have been hard, but at least they would have been together. He pressed his forehead into Bolt's side and wiped the sparse tears prickling at his eyes on the dog's fur. Repeating once more that Bolt ought to be good, he struggled to his feet and dusted his jeans off. Together, they entered the house.

Bolt lapped at his hand and trotted off in the direction of the kitchen. Henry crossed his fingers that Bolt would behave and then headed upstairs to change his shirt. Dog urine was not a good look on anyone, and he really wanted to make a good impression that night. He dug into his closet and pulled out the cleanest jeans he could find. They were new and a little scratchy, but they didn't have any grass stains, or food splatters, and they didn't have that awkward stiff bubble in his crotch when he sat down.

He selected a blue plaid button up as a shirt and ran his fingers over his chin. He ought to have stubble, since he was definitely almost old enough to seriously consider shaving. Although it may have been his imagination, he could really see the beginnings of what would someday be a fine mustache. He laughed at the thought of himself with some sort of facial hair and then silenced when he wondered if she would notice. Maybe he should shave, just to be sure nothing was patchy or obvious.

He tiptoed into the hall and listened to his moms chatting downstairs. They were distracted, he determined, and he was in the clear. He snuck into Regina's master bathroom, locked the door, and pulled her razor out of the shower. She had some lather in the stall as well, so he borrowed that as well and went to the sink. Swallowing nervously, he sprayed the thick white foam onto his fingers and smeared it onto his upper lip.

After sucking his lips between his teeth, he leaned closer to the mirror and tugged the razor along his face. The sensation was uncomfortable, but he refused to stop now that he had started. One stray tug nicked him, and he frowned. Remembering back to movies he'd seen, he grabbed a piece of toilet paper and pressed it to the droplet of blood. If only, he bemoaned, he had a father, or an older brother, or a friend with an older brother who could teach him about this sort of thing.

He did have Neal, he thought, but things with the older man had been weird since they returned from Neverland. He was glad to have his father in his life, but as soon as there wasn't some strange adventure to distract him, he'd started to see the flaws in Neal's personality. It was disappointing that Neal was trying to act like his best friend, rather than his father. Henry scraped the razor across his face and sighed.

Maybe he could convince Neal to show him some guy stuff. He wasn't really sure what counted as guy stuff, but he didn't want to be the only boy at school who didn't know how to shave or how to spit. Guys spat, right? He rinsed the razor, set it aside, and appraised his reflection. Other than the only bloody scrap of toilet paper, he looked pretty slick.

After replacing his filched supplies, he returned to his bedroom and toyed with combing his hair in different ways. He flinched at the sound of knocking on his bedroom door and hastily brushed his hair back into place.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?" Emma knocked again. Without waiting for an answer, she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. "You left the dog downstairs, kid."

"Did he do something bad?"

"No…" Emma cocked her head to the side and leaned against the door frame. "But he's your responsibility. You can't just walk away after you wish a puppy into existence."

He met her gaze, bolstered his courage, and said, "You made a baby and got to walk away."

They stared at each other until Emma looked away. She cleared her throat, rubbed the back of her neck, and fidgeted. He waited patiently for some sort of response. It took a few silent, awkward minutes, but he finally got his reward as she squeezed her eyes shut and replied.

"I think about it a lot, kid, and I don't know what to tell you. I told you before I wanted to give you your best chance. But I know that doesn't make it any easier. Believe me, Henry. I know how it feels to know your mom sent you away."

"I know…" He fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. "And I forgave you and everything, but it's sorta just still something I think about sometimes…"

She stepped forward and slipped an arm around his shoulder. "I wish I could blame fate. I wish I could say that I was supposed to give you up so that we could break the curse. I wish I was like your mom and could be so sure that my past actions all led to this point so I couldn't regret them. But I do. I have a lot of regrets, kid, and giving you up is definitely the biggest I got."

He looped his arms around her waist. "If you could go back, would you?"

Despite her gallant speech, she hesitated. Two months ago, she would have said yes in a heartbeat. Now, though, there was so much more to lose. The idea that she might not have Regina in her life was suddenly almost terrifying. She wasn't sure she could give that up in favor of having Henry for the first ten years of his life.

Still, she wanted to reassure him so she rubbed his back. "Of course, kid."

He snuggled his head against her chest as his heart raced. Emma wanted to go back. He wondered what life with her would have been like. He imagined their family breakfasts every morning by simply replacing Regina in his memories with Emma. He imagined living in Boston with her and attending regular school. Their life together could have been great. He tugged his lower lip into his mouth and gnawed on it.

He had the power to make the fantasy a reality. He could just wish for it to happen, and they could have the life they both honestly wanted.

"I wish—"

"Kid," Emma warned. Her arms stiffened. "I can tell what you're thinking and don't do it."

"Don't you want to do it over? To do it right?"

She fought to keep her voice even. "This is what we have. Could you really leave your mom behind?"

"I wouldn't remember her."

"She might remember you. She's had a hard life. Would you make it even harder?"

He jerked out of her grip and glared at her. "This is about her, isn't it? You love her more than you love me."

"Kid…"

"Fine." He offered her a watery smile. "I get it. This is just how it is, right? You make choices to make yourself happiest, and I just have to deal with it."

"This is best for both of us. We can't just wish our lives were perfect."

"Why not?"

"Because it wouldn't be worth anything."

"We'd be together. That's worth everything." Tears watered in his eyes, so he raked his wrist over his face. "Whatever, okay? Just go back to hanging out with her. I wished you guys were friends, right? So go be friends."

"I wish you'd talk to me." Emma placed a hand on his shoulder. "Even though I don't even know what to say, I want to let you in. Now that I know you, kid, I know I need you in my life. But a lot of that is who you are. Who Regina helped you become. Do you want to risk being two different people? Because I can promise you that who I was all those years ago is not someone you're going to like."

He frowned. "You'd be different because you had me."

"I'd like to think that I would be, but… I wasn't a very good person, Henry. I was hurting, and I wanted everyone else to hurt, too."

0-0-0

Regina watched Bolt trot around the room. He was a fair sized dog with paws a bit too big. If she weren't so composed, she would have laughed as he tripped over them, tumbled over his head, and flopped to the ground, defeated by gravity. His tongue flopped out of his mouth as he gazed at her, and she got the distinct feeling that he was reading her expression. The fur over his eyes quirked up as if he were asking if she found that funny and appealing. That was ridiculous. Bolt was a dog, not some sort of super animal that could understand her.

"You're just a dog." She spoke aloud to try and quell her curious discomfort. "A dumb dog."

His ears lowered. She huffed and folded her arms over her chest. There's no way the little scrap of fur could understand her. He was reacting to her tone of voice and that was all; he proved it by staggering to his feet, barking excitedly, and bounding around the room as if she hadn't insulted his intelligence. Her posture relaxed, although one foot continued to kick with nervous energy.

Things with Ms. Swan were frightening. It had been years since the word had applied to her state of being, outside the realms of concerns for Henry's safety, but she had to admit that Emma terrified her. Nobody was supposed to be this close to her, not even Henry. Part of her wanted to run for the hills; that was the part that was cognizant of her destructive influence upon the lives of others.

But most of her wanted to be brave. This was her chance to do the right thing. For once, the right thing coincided with what she wanted, which certainly made it easier. She wouldn't abandon Ms. Swan. She would make efforts to be open and honest, no matter how counter-intuitive it felt.

She sighed and stood. She knew that this evening wasn't technically a formal date with Emma because the blonde was wearing the standard sub-par gear that usually adorned the woman's fit body, but she wanted to look somewhat nice. Just because Emma didn't put forth the effort didn't mean she couldn't. Bolt plopped down in front of her and wagged his tail.

"What do you want?"

He whined and pointed his nose toward the back door. She grimaced but ultimately decided that she'd rather take the few moments to let him out than the minutes cleaning up the carpet he would potentially soil. She scratched his ears as she walked past, trying to ignore the small flicker of joy that threatened to ignite in her chest.

She was not a dog person, she told herself. She had a fairly good relationship with horses, but animals had always been more Snow White's forte. There was no way she was communicating with the canine, nor any logical explanation for how much she enjoyed the silky smooth fur of his ears. He wasn't her dog. She tugged the back door open and shooed him outside.

Once out in the open air he ran immediately for her rose bush, emptied his bladder, and then hurried back to sit at her feet. Proud of himself, he yipped twice and pressed his cold, wet nose to her thigh.

"Good dog."

"What?" Emma's approach startled her, but she didn't let her body language change. "Are you actually liking this dog?"

"He's not as incorrigible as others I know."

"Are you talking about me?" Emma slipped her arms around Regina's waist, feeling brave now that they weren't talking about feelings. After her talk with Henry, she felt she deserved a little physical comfort. She couldn't help but worry that she'd never figure out how to communicate with the kid. Every time they tried, either he or she completely misunderstood.


	30. Chapter 30

"What's wrong?" Regina pulled out of Emma's grip and searched the blonde's eyes. There was something amiss—something that no doubt involved her son. Emma was cheerful prior to going upstairs and was now dejected. While pretending nothing was wrong unless Emma said something was easier, she was determined to follow through on her decision to make this work.

"Just something the kid and I talked about." Emma shook her head and averted her eyes. "It's no big deal."

"I see." Regina waited a half-moment to see if Emma would extrapolate, but the only noise was Emma’s quiet breathing. Frustrated, Regina withdrew. "Well, perhaps you can watch the dog while I clean up."

Emma's lips twitched. She wanted to express the confusing emotions bumbling around her heart and upsetting her stomach, but she couldn't find the words. Rather than help her say anything, her tongue sat thickly in her mouth. If only Regina had asked again. She just needed an opening.

"Yeah, sure. I can watch the pup." Emma forced a smile onto her lips. "Can't be too hard, right?"

Regina nodded curtly and walked to the door. She shouldn't leave. She ought to suss out Emma's emotional state. That's what someone in her position should do. She wanted Emma to rely on her in such a fashion but simply didn't know what to say.

Bolt trotted after her, his tail wagging. Before she could reach the door, he picked up his pace and darted in front of her. Regina nearly stumbled over him but caught her balance and stared down at him. He barked and wagged his tail. When Regina tried to shoo him, he growled playfully and nipped at her toes. Shooting him a peeved glare, she backed up and away. He promptly sat down with his tail lolling all the while.

"Is he part shepherd?" Emma laughed uneasily, unnerved by Bolt's behavior. She rubbed the back of her neck and met Regina's eyes. "Weird, huh?"

"He seems to be a rather intelligent dog. Or, at the very least, incredibly playful. It will be good for Henry to have an outlet for his energy as well."

"So, you're actually excited about having him, huh?"

Bolt barked loudly and then whined. Regina glanced at him. The dog, it seemed to her, was trying to keep them on track. That had to be her projecting... He was just a dog. A magically-wished-into-existence dog who seemed to understand human language.

"While we're apparently trapped here," Regina began, "I suppose I should ask if there truly is nothing you wish to discuss."

"You're getting all formal on me." Emma dipped her hands into her pockets. "I know you do it when you're nervous, but it's sorta like establishing dominance, y'know? Like you're top dog, and I'm the dumb runt puppy with more paws than brains."

"All packs must have an alpha, Ms. Swan." Regina frowned and cleared her throat. "However, we are people, and… we are equals. I don't believe myself above you in any way."

"I mean, I get that. Like rationally I get that, but like it just feels that way?"

"I'll do my best to keep it in check. I don't mean to… to position myself over you. I just don't know how to adequately express feelings or thoughts that matter or that might have an impact on our-"

"Relationship," Emma filled in. The corner of her lips twitched up. "Unless that's too informal for you? Would you prefer courtship?"

Before Bolt could bark again, Regina shook her head. "On topic, Ms. Swan. What is it you want to talk about?"

"Henry might have wanted to wish that he and I could start over again." Emma's gaze flickered to the backdoor. She swallowed awkwardly and continued. "I told him that was a bad idea, and he got the idea that I like you more than I like him."

"Preposterous."

"Yeah, I know. But, like, how do I make him see that? He doesn't believe it when I say it because all he sees is me not wanting us to leave you."

Regina fought the heat rising in her cheeks. Had anyone ever made a decision not to leave her? Daniel, perhaps, but his decision was ripped away before he could fully commit. Somehow, her destructive choices had led her to a woman who wouldn't walk away, despite a history of running. Rather than focus on the happy warmth in her belly, she tried to hone in on Henry's potential issue.

"What did he say?"

Emma let her head hang. "Some stuff about how I'm letting my feelings get in the way of loving him. How I told him I regretted giving him up--"

"Do you regret giving him up?"

"I regret that he feels bad that I gave him up. I told him I did so he'd feel better, which sorta makes me feel worse. But I wasn't in a position to take care of a kid back then. I had a few months left of incarceration… What would I do with a kid? It's not like they woulda said, 'Oh, Swan, you've got a baby. Of course you can just walk out into the real world.' Plus, all I had to my name was a stolen car. That's a real good way to start a baby's life, huh? I was a mess, and his life would have been a mess, too."

"You're not curious?"

"Of course I'm curious. But one thing I'm really getting to know these days is that you can't live like that. You can't spend your time wondering what mighta happened if things were a little bit different. I've seen enough television and movies to know that wishes never work the way you think they will. It's better to work with what you know you have, than to think about what you coulda had."

"Then perhaps that's what you need to tell him." Regina offered Emma a hesitant smile. "Henry inherited your family's attitude of barreling forward and dealing with consequences later. If something sounds like it might be beneficial to him, he will put his entire being into his pursuit. And like your mother, he is completely oblivious to the effect his actions will have on those around him."

"My family is just a herd of bulls in a china shop, huh?"

"I suppose that is an accurate, if rather colorful, description."

Emma rocked back on her heels. "Think he'll grow out of it?"

"Have you? Has your mother?"

"I think I've started considering other people when I make decisions. I think that started when Henry was born. That was the first time someone else mattered more than me."

Regina walked to the door, rubbing Bolt's ears as she passed. "I'm going to go get ready. Watch the dog, Ms. Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes and took a seat on the floor in the hopes that Bolt would just crawl into her lap. Instead, he sat a few feet away, panting and watching her. She clapped her hands and clicked her tongue, but he came no closer. Sighing, she scooted across to him and tugged on his haunches. His tongue slobbered up her cheek.

"I had dogs once," she confided. "A family I stayed with when I was seven actually bred and raised show dogs. When I heard that, I thought I was going to be in heaven or something. Turns out they just wanted someone to help with the chores. The dogs were nicer to me than the people were, probably because they saw me like I was one of them. I didn't stay there long because I didn't know how to handle dogs."

Bolt settled in and closed his eyes. She stroked his head until his breathing evened, and then she wondered what she was supposed to do with a sleeping puppy on her lap.

0-0-0

Henry practically bounced on his seat, pausing only to straighten his shirt and fiddle with the collar. He'd never felt quite like this in the past. The only time that came close was when he'd stood on Emma's doorstep in Boston. But that had been a different type of nervousness. He'd wanted her to love and help him, and there was so much depending on Emma's acceptance of him. This date, though, was meaningful not because everyone was cursed, but because his social standing was riding on his performance.

The guys at school were all talking about the dates they'd been on. Henry always listened but never had anything to add. They never teased him about it, but he still felt a little ostracized. He hadn't been one of the guys before the curse broke, and now, he had nothing to ingratiate himself with them. He just wanted one good story to share, and Ava was a nice girl. Well, he amended, Ava's curse-altered personality was nice. He was still a little sore about their initial meeting.

"You look dapper," Regina commented as she adjusted the rear view mirror. She caught a glimpse of his face and tried her hardest not to smile. Despite the minor conflict with Emma earlier, he looked cheerful and unaffected. His face darkened only momentarily when Emma got in the car.

"Lookin' slick, kid." Emma twisted around and smiled at him. He hesitated a moment before smiling back. "I got the dog secured in the kitchen with a bowl of water. We definitely need to pick up some dog food on the way home, though."

"And a collar, a leash, some toys, some treats, a bed, a sweater--"

"Slow down," Emma teased. "Food first. Don't you know about the hierarchy of needs?"

He scoffed, "Of course we'll get him food. I just don't want to forget about the other super important things. Bolt needs food, but he also needs one of those sweaters with the dog bones printed all over."

Emma threw her hands up. "Alright, alright. You have a point. Every dog needs a little sweater."

"I'm glad you can see it my way." He grinned at her. "Plus, he'll be a total chick magnet."

"Henry," Regina said. She glanced at him in the mirror and arched one eyebrow. She was glad his interests were maturing but was rather terrified of what that entailed. She wasn't sure she was ready for her little boy to use their family pet as a means of picking up women. He was a boy, not a man. He should still be skinning his knees and climbing trees and breaking magical curses. A small sigh escaped her lips. Despite her fear, he had always been a serious child, and she couldn't impede his growth because she wanted him to be her little boy forever. "I don't think you need to concern yourself with--"

"I was kidding," Henry interrupted. His cheeks flared bright red. While he loved joking with Emma because of her easy-going nature about these things, he was more than aware that Regina was prim and proper. The thought of ever discussing anything about romance or sex with her was absolutely mortifying. Any questions would be fielded by Emma. Or better yet, by the internet.

"I promise we won't embarrass you in front of your little lady friend. We'll even give you a few minutes to stop blushing before we get there." Emma winked at him and faced front once more. Regina rolled her eyes but blushed herself when Emma placed a tentative hand over hers. She immediately schooled her expression blank.

"I am aware that you're not happy with having supervision, Henry, but I think you'll find that we won't disturb your date in the slightest."

Henry leaned on his elbow and stared out the window. "Yeah, 'cause every guy has his moms on his date with him. Totally normal. Not disturbing me at all."

Emma tried to keep her heart rate in check as she massaged the back of Regina's hand with her thumb. This was a real date, and she wasn't going to mess it up. Clumsy Emma needed to hide away for a while and let smooth Emma shine. It hadn't been too long ago that she'd used her charms and feminine wiles to lure unsuspecting men back to their financial obligations; she knew she had them, so it was just a matter of making them work on someone who actually mattered.

That was the trick, really. She was so used to people being transient in her life, which meant it didn't matter if she messed up or stepped on toes or wounded feelings. Now, however, she needed this dark haired woman and their son in her life. There was no room for error. This was her chance to prove that she could be everything Regina and Henry needed.

"Are you feeling alright?" Regina's voice broke through the storm cloud of her thoughts and brought a hesitant smile to her lips.

"Yeah… just got a little lost in my head, is all." Emma relaxed and allowed her smile to become more genuine. "Are we there yet?"

"Which one of us is the child?" Henry snorted and knocked his knees against the passenger seat. "We're like two blocks away."

"Are you nervous, yet?"

"Pfffft," Henry drew out his response as long as he could and took great relish in the splatterings of saliva on the window. He remembered they were picking up his date and quickly wiped it away with his sleeve. "Nothing to be nervous about. I'm your kid, right?"

Emma nearly choked herself with the sudden onset of laughter his comment provoked. "Oh, Henry…"

Regina interrupted their exchange by putting the car in park and unlocking the doors. "Go get her, Henry."

"Good luck," Emma called as he slung himself out of the car and onto the sidewalk.


	31. Chapter 31

"He's getting so mature. It seems like just yesterday he was hunting for worms in the garden." Regina tried not to watch him blaze up the path to Ava's front door.

"And now he's playing basketball, ogling cheerleaders, and taking girls to the movies." Emma gnawed on her lower lip. "Secretly, this is exactly the sort of life I wished he'd get when I let the doctor walk away with him."

"Really?"

"Well, I mean, omit the magic and the danger and the kidnapping and the portal jumping and the-"

"I get it, Ms. Swan."

"And yeah, this is what I wanted for him. He's got a mom who loves him and friends. That's more than I ever had." Emma stared out the window as Ava's door opened. She watched Henry offer her his arm. "Not to get all mushy or sentimental, but it's really nice to be a part of it, y'know?"

"I know." Regina cleared her throat. "I am of the same opinion."

"I guess I just have to work on not screwing it up. I'm pretty good at that. My special talent, right?"

Unwilling to let Emma continue down this self-deprecating path, Regina huffed. "Your special skill is drawing, you idiot."

"And yours is making me smile."

Regina's tirade derailed almost immediately. She puffed out a sigh and glared out the windshield, determined to keep her emotions from her face. A moment later, however, her lips curled up at the edges, and she had to admit that Emma had that skill as well.

"By the way, do you think it's at all weird that Henry's taking Ava out?"

"Weird?"

Emma shrugged. "Well, just a week ago you thought he was into Paige, and now he's taking out Ava."

"I suppose I just thought that his emotions had changed. That is possible, you know."

0-0-0

Henry laughed uneasily and tucked his hands into his pockets like he'd seen Emma do countless times before. Ava was taller than him by a foot, and he found the size difference quite intimidating. This was a bad idea, he thought. He didn't need to date to fit in with the guys. The whole idea seemed really preposterous now, especially given the unimpressed look she was fixing him with.

"So, ready to go?"

"Yeah. I just have to tell my dad I'm going out."

Henry glanced back at the car; Emma and Regina were staring at each other and conversing rather seriously. He really hoped he hadn't inherited Emma's ability to talk to women because she couldn't seem to get it together. He wasn't entirely sure how deep everything was between his moms, but he was incredibly certain that it was more than they thought. Still, as long as they were getting along, that was great by him. If they broke up, though… He tensed his shoulders at the thought of the explosive blow-out that would potentially occur.

He wondered if Emma would stick around town or if she'd just leave.

"I'm ready."

He smiled and offered Ava his arm. "Great. It's gonna be a pretty great movie."

"I read it got bad reviews."

"Yeah, it'll probably suck." He tensed when she set her hand on his elbow. "But what I was saying is that maybe it'll suck so hard it'll actually be funny."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "That'd be pretty good."

"Was there something else you wanted to see?"

"There's a showing of Around My Heart at the same time…"

A romantic comedy, his mind supplied. "Oh. Well, that's okay with me. Did it get good reviews?"

"Yeah."

They paused outside the car so Henry could open the door for her. She eased in, and he ran around the car to get in opposite.

0-0-0

"I can't believe we're letting the kid take her to a romantic comedy." Emma groaned. The air in the theater smelled fairly strongly of butter, so she tried to breathe mostly through her mouth. That, however, made it worse, as she felt like she could taste the scents. "You can't tell me you're excited?"

Regina kept her eyes on Henry's back. He and Ava had taken the majority of the change from her purse and were making their rounds in the arcade. She found it humorous that Ava seemed to be more skilled at most games; although morose at first, Henry soon warmed to the challenge. Despite constantly losing, he looked pleased.

Drawing her gaze away for a second, Regina met Emma's gaze and cocked an eyebrow. "You have an issue with the genre?"

"It's so predictable. I mean, everyone always gets their happy ending. It's just not realistic."

"One might argue that there is no such thing as a truly happy ending but that there is no harm in escaping the realities of-"

"Oh come off it, Regina. You can totally escape the realities of anything with any movie." Emma smirked. "You like romantic comedies, don't you?"

"Ridiculous."

"You like them." Emma stepped closer. "Is this one of your deep, dark, dirty secrets?"

"I don't like romantic comedies."

"So, you love them?"

Regina's nostrils flared. She directed her attention back to Henry, grumbled loudly, and folded her arms over her chest. Emma waited patiently until the brunette muttered out an angry, "Yes."

"Which one is your favorite?"

"You've Got Mail."

"Tom Hanks, huh?" Emma nodded. "Can you guess what kinda movies I've got a weakness for?"

"I don't play games, Ms. Swan."

"We're on a date, Madam Mayor," Emma coaxed. She had to make this work, or they wouldn't stand a chance. Regina wanted to see her make polite conversation, and she was trying her damnedest. "Try to relax."

"Very well." Regina made a concentrated effort to let her fear ebb. There was a good deal at stake, however, and that fact made her jittery. She did not jitter, she told herself. She maintained absolute control of every situation so that nothing could surprise her. "Western?"

"Nope."

Deciding to think more carefully before guessing again, Regina squinted into the distance and hummed under her breath. The answer was clearly not romantic comedy, nor was it, she believed, horror. Drama seemed plausible, but she couldn't see Emma enjoying more heartbreaking sadness than her life had already dished out.

"Science Fiction."

"Nope. And not Fantasy."

"Action."

"No again."

"Ms. Swan-"

"I like documentaries," Emma cut in before Regina's temper could boil much further. She shrugged. "I know everyone thinks I'm sorta, well, not the smartest-"

"Emma…"

"No, it's true. I shoot before I ask questions. I just sorta barrel forward and through things, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of thinking. I like knowing, and I like movies that can teach me something new. I may never need that knowledge, but knowing makes me feel more secure. There's been enough uncertainty and not knowing in my life, I guess, and documentaries give me answers."

Regina lifted a hand in defense. "I wasn't going to judge you for your choice, simply rebut your statement. I do not think of you as mentally deficient in any regard-"

"But you used to." Emma glanced over at Henry. "And that's totally okay. I don't act like the world's smartest person ninety percent of the time. But it's something I wanted you to know. There is something going on in my head."

"If I was not aware before, I am now. I suppose my love of romantic comedies should suggest to you that I do, in fact, have a heart."

Emma grinned. "If I was not aware before, I am now."

"May I ask you a question?"

Emma chuckled. "You just did."

"Another one."

"Yeah."

"I am aware you're not stupid, but I am curious as to your schooling."

"That's not a question." Emma stalled. "More of a statement, really."

"What is your educational history?"

"That's a question, for sure." Emma rocked back on her heels and tucked her hands in her pockets. "I got bumped around a lot, so school was tough. I wasn't really kept in the same area and all, and every class was doing something different. I learned a lot of different stuff, I guess, but none of it really went together. I did okay on tests because I was pretty good at guessing, which meant I passed all the way through. I think I would have graduated from high school but things sorta got in the way."

"Things?"

"I ran away and then I met Neal." Emma stared at the ground. "Nobody ever really believed I could do it or even tried to get me to finish, so I decided that starting my life then was better than wasting those last few years in school."

"You never graduated?

"Well, no. But I got my G.E.D. while I was locked up."

"Do you regret your decision?"

Emma shrugged. "Not really? I mean, I sometimes regret not having the traditional degree because that's just easier to explain, but at the time, high school just wasn't what I wanted or needed. So, do I regret skipping out? No."

"I find it difficult to regret anything, as every choice led me to precisely these moments." Regina tilted her face away, feeling a bit too much on display. Emma slipped her hand along Regina's side and laced their fingers.

"I'm glad my choices brought me here, too, y'know?"

"Sometimes I worry that this isn't real."

"What?"

Regina tugged Emma toward the arcade. "This is, I think, a discussion for another time. The movie is going to start soon, and I'd hate to miss the previews."

"I'll bet," Emma muttered under her breath. She smiled as she stumbled along behind Regina's fast pace.

0-0-0

"You're really good at those games."

"I spent a lot of time here back before the curse broke." Ava deftly maneuvered her spacecraft along the screen and blasted a row of asteroids out of the way. Henry leaned against the machine, his eyes flickering between the ever increasing score and her focused face. "It was one of the few places in Storybrooke that didn't care about not being in school."

"Do you like school now?"

"It's okay."

Henry fidgeted. "I think it's pretty good."

Her cheeks tinged pink. "You do?"

"Yeah."

"I sorta do, too." She missed an asteroid, and her ship suffered five hundred points of damage to the hull. Her shields flickered back to life as she jammed her thumb onto the B button. "But I don't really think anyone would let me?"

"Let you?"

"Enjoy school."

He wiped his palms on his jeans and shrugged. "You can enjoy whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. You just have to be you, and who cares about the rest."

"That's easy for you to say." Ava finished the level and braced herself with both palms flat against the machine. "You've got two moms and a dad who love you. They'd all be there no matter what you needed, right?"

"Right…"

"Well, I got my dad. He doesn't want us, but he keeps us as it is. If I started changing, it'd be all the more reason…" She cleared her throat and launched into the next level. "So, it's better to just let things be. I've got my role, okay? I'm tough, and I don't like school."

"You're sweet," Henry shot back, "and you can't hide that no matter how hard you try."

The pink in her cheeks flamed. "Shut up."

"All I'm saying is that it's not like you'd be changing into someone bad. Most parents are happy when their kids find something they like that's safe and healthy."

"Maybe…"

"Henry, the movie's about to start." Emma called, startling the pair.

Regina watched him jerk away from Ava as if he had been doing something worthy of shame. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Ava.

"I've got one more level." Ava blasted another row of asteroids. "I'm really close to the top score."

"The movie is going to start," Emma repeated.

Regina put a hand on her arm and shook her head. "Very well. Finish your level."

Both Emma and Henry looked at her with confused eyes. She tilted her head up and away, unwilling to meet the questions in their gazes. The fact was, however, that she had always been fond of children, and she had always felt slightly bad for the ill that had befallen Hansel and Gretel. She had told them, of course, not to eat anything, but it was a cottage made of sweets; she should have had lower expectations regarding their self-control. Anything she could do now to make up for that error in judgment, even if it was only a few extra minutes to finish a video game, seemed just to her.

"Thanks." Ava resumed jamming buttons. Henry turned back to the screen; he swayed to and fro as if he were the spaceship dodging debris and leaned forward whenever he thought she should go faster. She snorted at his conduct but made no comment as she didn't actually want it to stop.

Emma sighed. "Well, if you guys are gonna be here for a few minutes, I'm going to go find seats at least."

"I prefer seats in the middle of the theater."

"Yeah, okay…" Emma frowned. She had wanted to sit at the back, but it seemed that her plans were not to be. Feeling a little dejected, she scuffed her foot against the floor and slouched off to theater five.


	32. Chapter 32

Emma tossed a kernel of popcorn into the air and was exceedingly proud that it landed directly on her tongue as planned. Too bad that nobody was around to see this awesome feat of hand-mouth coordination. The previews were winding down, and still, Regina hadn't arrived with kids in tow. Emma tried to assure herself that this wasn't a comment on her ability as a date, but the worry wriggled into her bowels, curled up there, and sat like lead.

Okay, so she hadn't been the most romantic so far, but they were accompanying their kid on a date. The romance factor had already been shot in the foot. She'd still managed to keep things focused on them, for the most part. Where romance would surely fail, she had substituted charm and effort. If Regina didn't think that was enough, that was Regina's problem.

Except it was her problem, too. Emma squeezed her eyes shut. She hadn't realized until that moment just how badly she wanted things to work between them. While Henry's interests were a concern, she was mildly surprised by how emotionally invested she had become as well. Too many relationships in her life had been fleeting, and none of the important people had bothered sticking around. She supposed it was a little irrational to think that Regina would leave her, but she was too used to being treated like she were disposable.

She rubbed her forehead and let out a deep sigh. One date hopefully wouldn't change things, unless it were for the better. The problem was that she didn't know what Regina was looking for, so she didn't know what she should be providing. She was trying her hardest to be gallant, interesting, and coy, but Regina didn't seem impressed. She feared that she was once again setting herself up for disappointment.

In the arcade, Regina waited patiently for Ava's game to finish before leading the two children down to the theater. They looked content together, she thought with a casual glance over her shoulder, and she half-wished she were that young once again so that things were simpler. Their relationship, if that's what it was, wouldn't be filled with the complicated and complex problems that came with adulthood. She casually chose to forget the issues she had faced as a teen-aged young woman.

Henry grinned at Ava, who flushed and giggled in response. They were rather cute, although she wasn't fond of the idea of Henry having a girlfriend. Going with a girl to a movie was one thing; actually having a girlfriend was another. Just a few more moments were all she wanted from his childhood. She was not prepared to deal with the slew of issues that accompanied crushes, dating, and heart break.

As they entered the theater, she banished the thoughts from her mind. She spotted Emma in the middle row and shooed Henry in that direction. She was rather impressed by Emma this evening, if she had to be honest with herself. The blonde was battling rather dire odds but had managed to make Regina feel as if this were an actual date, rather than co-chaperoning. She had very little experience with dates, but this felt like a good one.

She sat delicately in the seat next to Emma and selected a buttery piece of popcorn. Emma smiled, and she tilted her head in return. "Very nice."

"The seats?" Emma chuckled. "You said the middle, so this is the middle of the middle row."

"Your selection is more than adequate."

"That's high praise, Madam Mayor."

"Oh, hush. The movie is starting."

Emma slipped her hand onto Regina's knee; Regina quickly placed a hand atop that and linked their fingers.

The screen went black, and Regina tried not to concentrate too entirely on the feeling of their hands pressed together. It was a simple gesture, but the feeling behind it was almost overwhelming. Regina held onto Emma's hand and felt inexplicably safe. She glanced over at Emma and took in the slight crinkle of Emma's nose. Emma seemed to be displeased with the movie selection, but Regina was pleased that Emma wasn't complaining.

Regina flushed a bit as she thought of the possibility of rewarding Emma's patience--and was immensely glad for the dark of the theater. Her tongue slipped out and moistened her lips. While they had never been truly physical with one another, Regina could imagine that the sensations would be rather pleasant. Emma had awfully soft skin and would feel nice against hers. Her heart thudded a bit harder.

Emma would be standing on the porch, she imagined, and she would be in the doorway. A moment would pass between them until Emma chuckled nervously and scuffed a shoe against the ground. She would step forward and place a hand on the crook of Emma's elbow. Emma would smile, or perhaps blush, and then she would trail the fingers of her other hand under Emma's chin. She would tug Emma forward, and as the Queen, she would take what rightfully belonged to her.

Her hand was clammy, she realized. Rather than draw attention to herself by wiping her palm clean, Regina decided to simply blame it on Emma if Emma chose to comment. The best defense was a strong offense, or so Henry told her once after his basketball practice. She could vouch for that. She certainly had developed a preference for attacking others before they could attack her.

She was glad that she hadn't gotten to follow through on her attack on Emma. All that rage she had originally felt had faded into a fiery passion of another kind, and now she had the chance to explore that. She wasn't used to good things happening to her, and she didn't want to jinx anything.

_"Deborah, you shouldn't be here." The lead actor hid his face in his hands as the wind brushed through his silky brown locks. His voice quivered on the final syllable, and when Deborah lifted his chin, his eyes were lined with tears._

_"I came because you needed to me."_

_"Needed you?" He jerked out of her grip. "I needed you in that hospital with me. I needed you next to me as our son--as my son died in my arms."_

_"He's not dead, Matthew." Deborah stepped closer again and wiped his tears with the pad of her thumb. "You left your phone in my car. The doctor called ten minutes ago – after you left, they were able to resuscitate him."_

_The tears fell freely. "How did you know you would find me here?"_

_Deborah inhaled slowly, and the sun brought out the rosy hues of her cheeks. "This is your place, Matty. This is our place."_

In the theater, Emma rolled her eyes. They were thirty minutes in, and Emma was already trying to figure out which actor she wanted to punch more. The classically handsome Matthew tended to over act, and his career was clearly based on his good looks rather than his talent; on the other hand, Deborah had a slightly shrill pitch to her voice, and every line was delivered as if it were a question. Good thing, Emma thought, that she had two fists and could conceivably punch them both.

But… Regina was enjoying the film. The brunette was clutching her hand and occasionally squeezing gently. Emma decided that she'd see as many romantic comedies as Regina wanted. It was a noble sacrifice, one which she hoped would be justly rewarded at the end of the evening. Emma refocused on the movie and started slowly counting down the minutes until the credits.

0-0-0

Ava nudged Henry with her shoulder until he pulled his gaze from the screen. Once his attention was properly averted, she tilted her head toward the aisle where Emma and Regina were seated. Henry glanced over and blushed.

"Are your moms kissing?"

Henry cleared his throat quietly and shrugged. He wasn't sure exactly what Ava was after, so he kept his tone neutral. He didn't want to make a scene, but if she was going to say something negative, he was ready to leap to their defense. "Sorta looks like that, yeah."

Ava licked her lips. "Have you ever?"

For a moment, Henry wanted to posture. He wanted to lie and claim that he had kissed plenty of girls and knew exactly what he was doing. But of all the things he had inherited from Emma, the ability to lie and con was missing. He shook his head silently.

She placed a hand over his. "I haven't either."

"Really?" He stammered along, trying to buy some time for his nerve to kick in. He had a biological mother who fought dragons and ogres and an adoptive mom who faced down armies; yet, he felt entirely spineless in the face of one cute girl.

"Yeah."

Not kissing her was for the best... After all, he wasn't sure he liked her in the romantic sort of way that his moms seemed to like each other, and it would be rude to lead her on. Good people didn't do that. The paltry excuses filled his brains, but rather than salve his pride, they merely made him kick himself just a little bit harder.

"Good movie, huh?"

She returned her attention to the screen. "Yeah."

Henry's hand was cold when she removed hers from his grip. The moment had spiraled away from him and he wasn't sure if he'd ever get the chance again.

0-0-0

They were close enough to be kissing, Emma thought. She could literally turn her head a fraction of an inch and their mouths would be almost touching. Regina shifted next to her; Emma flinched back, afraid that if Regina noticed her proximity, the brunette would be displeased either with Emma's presumption or Emma's lack of follow through.

"Emma?"

Emma gritted her teeth. "Yeah?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Peachy."

"Please release your death grip on my hand."

"Oh, shit." Emma blushed and eased her grasp. Regina twisted her hand in a small circle to get blood flowing once more. "Sorry."

"Don't worry yourself." Regina glanced down at Emma's lips. "You may kiss me if you'd like."

"I was getting there," Emma groused. Her lips twisted up into a wry smile. With permission given, Emma felt much more at ease as she leaned in close and nestled her lips gently against Regina's.

Regina sighed softly and relaxed against Emma's mouth. Emma took her time with the kiss, trying as hard as she could to be on her best behavior. She wanted the moment to be romantic and sweet, rather than rushed or pushy. There was a certain lightness in her heart that buoyed her to the moment and fought the anxiety that threatened to drag her down. She couldn't worry that she was messing things up or not doing the right thing, when that exact moment felt absolutely right to her.

Her thumb rubbed small circles on Regina's forearm. Regina pulled her arm back and moved slightly so their fingers were laced together. Emma gave her hand a feather-light squeeze, which was responded to in kind. Emma pressed forward a bit more before leaning back. Their lips separated with a barely audible pop.

Emma lifted Regina's hand and peppered several small kisses on it. Regina tried to hide her pleased smile but failed.

Regina rejoined their hands and stared back up at the screen. She'd been having issues following the plot due to the extremely distracting woman sitting beside her. Emma, it seemed, couldn't quite sit still for long periods of time. The nervousness came from their romantic tension, Regina decided. Their kiss had been satisfactory and had certainly brought the mood of their evening to a better place. She had been having fun previously, but now it simply felt more like a date rather than spending time together while their son was on a date.

She didn't mind missing the movie. She loved the genre, but she had to admit that many of the plot lines were contrived. There was always the rare chance that a romantic comedy would do something new and interesting, which is why she continued to see them. There was also a certain comfort in the predictability and a small hope in the happy endings. Although she was keenly aware that her life was no romantic comedy and that those movies were nothing like the events of real life, she liked to think that sooner or later, she was due her happy ending, too.

Glancing sideways, she examined Emma's blushing face. This woman may be her happy ending; the thought was both mildly alarming and enormously comforting. This was, after all, the closest her life had ever been to a romantic comedy. She was dating the daughter of the woman who was responsible for the death of her fiancé, who was also the daughter of the man she was once forced to marry. She just wasn't sure where the jokes were, and she hadn't done much laughing in a number of years. That changed when Emma had taken up residence in her bed. The blonde's presence was like some sort of drug, one she could easily get addicted to.


	33. Chapter 33

"Okay, so that wasn't the best movie," Ava admitted. She snorted and tilted her head up toward the sky. There was a sliver of sun left, and she was determined to enjoy any and all warmth that she could. She had no idea why movie theaters were kept so cold, but she always forgot to bring a sweater to drape over her lap.

"It was okay."

She glanced at Henry and rolled her eyes. "You like to agree with me, don't you?"

Emma ruffled Henry's hair. "He's just gotten the correct idea that the women in his life are always right."

"Emma!"

"Yeah, kid?"

Henry fiddled with his hair until it was once again back in place. Emma thought it looked just as messy as before, but Henry swore there was a definite style to how unkempt he kept it. There was an art to looking like he didn't care about anything except the really important stuff. If not for Regina, he might have taken it a step further and changed how he dressed. But there was nothing he could say or do that would change Regina's mind. No child of hers was going to dress like a ragamuffin, and he had come to grudgingly accept that. There were other ways to gain 'cool' status points at school.

"I just actually sorta liked it."

"What was your favorite part?"

He flushed; he knew Emma was just trying to catch him up or prove that he hadn't even been really watching, but he was prepared. "The ending. I didn't think she'd ever forgive him, but it was pretty nice how things worked out."

"Forgiveness is not always easy."

He glanced up at Regina and grinned. "But sometimes people deserve it."

"Indeed. She truly did, I suppose, especially after sacrificing her job in order to donate her kidney to his illegitimate nephew."

Emma waited until Henry and Ava had walked far enough away before reaching for Regina's hand and lacing their fingers. Regina kept a blank face, which was more important now that they were out in public and someone might see the edges of her lips twitching higher and higher up, but didn't move to free her hand from Emma's grasp. A part of her was panicking because none of her prior romances had been public in anyway. Her love with Daniel had been doomed because someone had found out, and now she was just walking down the sidewalk with her partner on display.

"Relax."

"Hm?"

Emma tugged her closer. "You've got a serious hold on my hand. I'd really like it if some blood could reach my fingers, y'know?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Regina loosened her grip. Nothing was going to happen to Emma. She would destroy anyone who tried to touch either her son or Emma.

"Want to talk about it?"

Regina really didn't. It would be so easy to simply say no and pretend like nothing was the matter. But she honestly wanted her relationship with Emma to be different. She wanted to trust Emma, even though trust was so difficult to forge. "I'm-"

After a beat, Emma cocked an eyebrow. "You're?"

"Afraid." Regina straightened her shoulders. She tried to fold her arms over her chest, but Emma's hand was still latched to hers, stymieing her defensive maneuver.

"Of what?" There was no judgment in Emma's voice, but Regina couldn't help but feel that she was about to be dissected.

"That some harm will come to you."

"Nothing bad is gonna happen."

"You can't know that."

"The thing is that, yeah, maybe I can't, but I can know that I'm capable of handling pretty much anything that's thrown at me. I fought a dragon, right?"

"You flung your sword at a dragon. You fired a gun at an ogre." Regina averted her gaze in the vain hope that Emma wouldn't be able to read the turmoil in her eyes. Children, as she understood them, thought themselves invincible. While she no longer thought of Emma as some sort of overgrown child, she couldn't help but fear that Emma still entertained the notion that she was impervious to harm. "You've been lucky."

"Lucky isn't really the word I would use to describe what's happened to me." Emma smiled. "I mean, I guess I'm lucky in a weird twisted way that all the bad shit in my life has actually led to the good shit, right?"

"Please take this seriously, Ms. Swan."

The use of her title in such a formal tone made Emma's smile fade. "Look, I don't mean to take your feelings lightly, okay? You're afraid, and I get that."

"I don't think you really do."

"Yeah, of course I do. You think I'm not scared that some idiot isn't going to come after you someday? You think I don't worry about if you're okay or not when I'm not with you?" Red tinged Emma's cheeks. "I get being afraid."

"This is more than that." Regina shook her head. "It's not worth arguing over."

"But-"

"Henry, you're walking too fast."

Henry laughed and shouted an apology over his shoulder before he turned to Ava once again. He wasn't bold enough to take her hand, but he was damn well going to kiss her good bye. That was, of course, if his nerves didn't betray him again.

"Sorry about them." He jerked his head back at his mothers. "Kinda dumb having my moms along, right?"

"I think it's okay. They're not really, like, interfering or anything. And your mom is pretty cool."

Henry shrugged. "I mean, they're both pretty okay. For parents, I mean."

0-0-0

Henry fidgeted at the door, his heart thudding loud enough that he was sure Ava could hear it. All he had to do was lean in and kiss her. It was simple, and he could picture himself doing it. Now the problem was making his body conform with his imagination. He could think as much as he wanted about kissing her, but his back remained ramrod straight.

"Well…"

He cleared his throat. "I had a really nice time…"

"Me, too." She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "So…"

"So, maybe we could do it again?" When she didn't answer immediately, he flushed and clenched his hands. "I mean, just as friends or whatever… if that's…"

"Friends?"

"Yeah… Unless…" He tilted in a centimeter and tried to read the emotions on her face. It was difficult because all she gave him was a tilted head and slightly cocked eyebrow. Her eyes watched his face, and her lips remained a flat line. A bit of a smile would have been a good sign, but her mien didn't flinch in either direction. Feeling defeated, he straightened again. "Well…"

"Well…" She reached behind her and fumbled for the doorknob. "See you later, Henry."

No, he thought, he couldn't just let her leave. He'd be failing the promise he'd made himself. That would make him a coward, and he'd be shaming the Charming name if he didn't pursue love to the fullest extent. He grabbed her arm, bit his lower lip, and lunged forward. Their teeth clacked clumsily together for a moment, their noses collided, and then he jerked back. His hands were practically buzzing, he noted, and there was a pleasant pink tint in her cheeks.

"See you in school."

She nodded, smiling, before turning and entering her home. He strode down the path to the car, confidence holding his head high.

0-0-0

"Kid definitely isn't very smooth," Emma commented. She watched the awkward interaction at Ava's door before turning her gaze to Regina's impassive face. After their conversation, Regina had grown reticent, and Emma was frustrated by the silence. They'd had a great date as far as she was concerned, except now Regina was acting like nothing between them had changed–-as if they were still rivals for Henry's affection instead of romantic partners. Still, she wasn't willing to give up. That was how she was the Savior. Not because she succeeded at everything she tried or saved people, but because she was persistent and dogged every lead until she was exhausted. "I'm a little sorry because I'm pretty sure those are my genes."

"Hm."

"Neal was pretty smooth as a younger man. Or at least he was exactly what I wanted."

"Then why aren't you with him?" Regina hated that her emotions were spiraling out of control. She could feel it happening, but it felt impossible to stop. The fear she had experienced earlier was easier to process this way; rather than lose Emma, she would get rid of Emma. She was in control that way, no matter how much she hated it.

"Because I'm with you." Emma grabbed her forearm. "Look, I don't know why you're doing this-"

"This?"

"You're pushing hard, Regina. You think I don't know when someone's trying to get rid of me? I'm really painfully aware of that sort of shitty behavior, okay? I spent my whole childhood being aware of foster parents acting like this. You gonna turn it around on me, too? Gonna try and convince me that this is all my choice?" Emma licked her lips as Henry approached the car. "Well, it's not, okay? I want you, and fuck it, I know you want me, too. So just relax, okay? Talk to me."

Henry slid into the backseat, his head buzzing happily. He didn't notice the tension between his mothers for the first few seconds, but eventually, reality caught up with him. He buckled his seat belt and leaned forward, tilting his head.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"No," Emma answered. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. "Of course not, kid."

"Hm."

"He's not dumb, Emma," Regina snapped. "We were having a small disagreement, Henry. It happens, but you don't have to worry about it."

"What was it about?"

"Nothing!"

Regina shot Emma another look. "Emma was simply telling me about her past with Baelfire."

"So, what was there to fight about?"

"Yeah." Emma stared at Regina. "What was there to fight about?"

Regina frowned. "Henry, while I am more than happy to assure you that disagreements are not about you, I will not make you privy to the details of what goes on between Ms. Swan and I."

Henry nodded. "But you guys'll be okay, right?"

There was a moment of silence before Regina nodded stiffly and said, "You shouldn't worry, Henry."

Henry understood that there was a difference between him not worrying and things working out between them, but he also recognized just how uncomfortable Regina was. They'd talk later, he decided, and for now, he just wanted to revel in the feeling of his first real kiss. He wondered if she liked it or if he had done something wrong. It was his first after all, and it wasn't like he was some sort of professional kisser. She said she hadn't kissed someone before, but what if she had? And what if it had been better? He set his forehead against the window and sighed.

"Can we just go home?"

"Yes." Emma pushed her foot down on the gas pedal. "Please."

Regina took measured breaths as they drove. She knew her behavior was destructive but wasn't sure there was any way to avert the damage. The panic built in her stomach until Emma's hand landed on her knee. A gentle squeeze sent a wave of relief rippling through Regina's body.

As soon as the car was in the driveway, Henry bolted out and into the house. Emma lingered a bit longer, even after she had unbuckled her seat belt. Beside her, Regina remained motionless. Although she had no interest in loitering in her car, she wasn't sure what Regina needed and so stayed in place. There were several things she could have said, but none of them felt quite right for the moment. She licked her lips and stared out the windshield.

"Emma…"

"Yeah?" Emma couldn't keep her voice level as her anxiety cracked her single word.

"I wish to…" Regina cleared her throat and forced herself to look at Emma. "This is not the most natural to me. This… what we have, I mean."

"I've never really heard you so unsure."

"Don't make this more difficult than it already is."

Emma lifted her hands in defeat. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"This is not innate, Emma. I will not be pleasant to be around at all times. I-"

"You think I don't know that?" Emma chuckled. "You're like a cactus sometimes, y'know? All prickly outside, but there's sweet water inside. You just gotta watch those stabby needles. Maybe you're more of a puffer fish? Like your needles aren't out all the time, just sometimes when you're defensive. And I know it's not gonna be easy, but I'm so aware that nothing worth having is easy. The harder you work, the bigger the payoff, right? And I'm willing to work for you, if you're willing to work for me."

Regina mouthed wordlessly for a moment. Her tongue eventually caught up with her whirling brain, however, and she managed to say, "That's very… You've thought about this, clearly."

"I have." Emma nibbled on her lower lip. "I knew this date was either going to go really well or really poorly… There's not really a middle ground for us, yet. I want there to be someday, though… Anyway, I wanted to be prepared for the bad stuff, y'know? I'm not ready for this to be over."

Regina shunted her gaze aside and whispered, "Neither am I."


	34. Chapter 34

Regina shifted uncomfortably, despite the plush nature of the seat. This was very much so outside of her comfort zone, but Emma's words the day prior had stuck with her. She did want for their relationship to succeed, but she had no idea how to stop the downward spiral that occurred when she felt too vulnerable. So… There she sat, nervous and anxious.

"Would you like me to know anything?"

She stared Archie down until he wilted under the pressure. He reached up, fiddled with his glasses, and cleared his throat. It was difficult enough to open up to Emma, she thought, and now she was trying to force herself into opening up to a bug. This was a mistake, but she couldn't get up and leave.

"I don't know."

"Well, let's start with something simple. How are you doing today?"

Regina averted her gaze, and he visibly relaxed. He waited, pen poised over a pad of paper, until she said, "I'm well today."

"I'm sensing a good deal of stress."

Although she could have denied it, she merely shrugged. "I have a lot on my mind."

"I don't want to guess. So, please, whatever you feel comfortable telling me…" He smiled encouragingly. "It's an enormous step to even come to me, so I understand if you need to take things slow. This is at your pace, Mayor Mills. I don't want you to say anything you don't want to, but I want you to know that anything you say to me will not leave this room. I have professional standards."

"You got your degree from a curse," Regina muttered. He heard her but didn't let the jab affect his smile. After a moment of silence, Regina sighed. "My relationship with Ms. Swan."

"What about it?"

Admitting ignorance was not easy, but Regina forced her mouth to move. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"That's very normal." Archie scribbled a few notes on his notepad and eyed Regina almost warily. She knew he had reason to be somewhat apprehensive about her sudden appearance and demand of his services, but she needed him too much right now to do anything to harm him in any way. "Do you want to tell me how it began?"

That seemed innocent enough, so Regina nodded curtly. "She was having difficulty sleeping after we returned from Neverland. For whatever reason, she determined that she needed my assistance, which I provided."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure what spawned her insomnia-"

"I mean, why did you help her?"

"She's the sheriff of this town, Dr. Hopper. A sleep-deprived sheriff with a loaded weapon? That scenario can only end poorly."

"I'm sure that's what you told her. I'm asking why you really did." Archie eyed her, and suddenly, she felt as though his gaze was dissecting her. "If you're not comfortable-"

"She is the birth mother of my son," Regina stated bluntly. It was quite nearly the truth, and she hoped it would be enough to throw Archie off his current line of questioning. She was there willingly, but she still wasn't sure how much she needed to bare to him in order to have her purpose fulfilled.

"The more honest you are, Madam Mayor, the more you'll get out of these sessions."

The reminder that there would be more hours of this made Regina stiffen. Of course she couldn't expect any sort of major change in one short hour of talking to the bug, but she hadn't truly considered the effort that would be required. She wondered momentarily if Emma was working as hard as she was to make their relationship work.

"Madam Mayor?" Archie set his pen down. "Would you care to tell me why?"

"Because I have cared for Ms. Swan much longer than I care to admit." Regina resisted the urge to fiddle with the hem of her blouse. She hated such uneasy gestures and preferred to portray herself as a calm, unflappable woman of poise and grace. Still, speaking about her feelings was sending nervous tingles throughout her body.

"She's easy to care for."

"Perhaps to you. It hasn't been easy for me."

Archie nodded slowly. "I suppose your past hasn't-"

"You know nothing of my past."

"Excuse me. I misspoke. I merely meant, from what I know, I can guess that you-"

"Do not make assumptions about me. I will not sit here and-"

"Madam Mayor." Archie lifted his hands, palms flat. Regina stood and contemplated marching to the door. "You're free to leave whenever you want, but I will say that you won't progress if you walk out. Your defense mechanism is to fight back. You strike when someone gets too close because you'd rather hurt someone else than be hurt yourself, but that simply will not work any longer. Not if you want this relationship to work."

"I can do this on my own."

"At the risk of offending you further…" He swallowed awkwardly. "You're how old?"

Begrudgingly, she responded, "Thirty-four."

"And in those thirty-four years, have you been able to become the person you want to be? By yourself?" Regina stood silently, rage and confusion bubbling in her stomach. "Change isn't impossible, Regina. But sometimes we need a helping hand."

"You presume that you will be mine."

"You came to me. I'd like to help you."

"Why?"

"Nobody is beyond help, and it's my job to help all who need me." Archie watched her slowly take her seat once more. "More than that, Henry is a very special boy, and if I can help him by helping you, I'll do it."

For several minutes, Regina sat quietly. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and controlled. "When I was a child, my mother made it very clear that emotions were weakness. My father raised hunting dogs, and I had a favorite--I don't think he had a name, but I called him Neves. I could tell that mother wasn't pleased with our friendship, but it was one of the rare times that father stepped in on my behalf. I was outside one afternoon, in the woods nearby the castle, when I ran into a bear. Neves attacked it so I could run to safety. Father took some men into the woods and killed the bear, but not in time to save Neves. Mother told me it was my fault. My love for Neves got him killed because he would never have been in that position if not for me.

"I didn't take her seriously, as father assured me that Neves died saving me. My love didn't kill him, but his love saved me. At the time, I clung to father's words. Now, however, I understand the message mother was actually trying to instill in me. Emotions compromise decisions. If not for his love for me, Neves wouldn't have attacked that bear. Over the years, that lesson has reoccurred more times than I wish to talk about.

"When I discovered my emotional attachment to Ms. Swan…" Regina paused for a moment and let her eyes rove the walls. "I was displeased. Not with Ms. Swan, but with myself. I had been compromised, and I had done nothing to stop it. This woman would inevitably lead to my downfall, and now I couldn't even hate her for it. All of my anger turned inward, against myself. I had let this happen. The only way to rectify the situation was not to simply run Ms. Swan out of town but to make sure she never reappeared in my life again."

"You gave her a poisoned apple turnover."

"Poison is a strong word. It simply would have put her to sleep. In the end, I fear that Henry's kiss would have awoken her the same way hers awoke him. At the time, it felt like the only option to keep myself from caring too deeply, to avoid ruining my life's work over such a silly feeling like love."

"You love her?"

"Yes."

Archie wrote a few words down on his notepad. "What do you plan to do about this feeling now?"

"Nothing harmful. At least nothing directly and purposefully harmful." Regina glared at him, wondering if this was some sort of accusation.

He smiled weakly. "Are you planning on allowing yourself to love?"

"When Daniel was brought back to me, his last words..."

"Yes?"

Regina clenched her eyes closed and forced her voice to remain steady. "He told me to love again. But how can I? Everything I love either dies for me or by my own hand. They compromise themselves in my name. Emma cannot follow the same path as Neves, and she's foolhardy enough to fight a bear."

"Madam Mayor-"

"And yes, I do realize that Emma will probably never run into a bear while in Storybrooke, but the principle is the same. She will undoubtedly endanger her own life because she…" Regina glanced away. "She cares for me."

"One thing I want you to be aware of is that you can't control other people. Regardless of what you want, Emma will feel what she feels for you, and she'll act however she wants to act based on her own experience. It hurts to see our loved ones getting hurt, but they make choices, just as we do, and those choices affect what happens to them."

0-0-0

Emma rapped on the door and waited as patiently as she could. After the weekend, her mind was once again buzzing with the mystery Pizza Parlor and the wishing presented. She wanted to get over to Spencer's office soon, but first, there was something that had been on her mind. The connection wishing had to children was very interesting to her.

"Yes?"

"Ms. Foxworth, I don't know if you remember me-"

"Jenny's okay. And I remember you. You're the sheriff, right?"

Emma smiled. "Yeah, that's me. I was hoping I could ask you a quick question."

Jenny glanced over her shoulder nervously. "Well, I'm not really supposed to let people inside when my mom's not home."

"We can talk right here, if that's okay with you. I don't think you're guilty of anything or something like that." Emma folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the front pillar of the home. "Just one easy question."

"Okay…"

"In the past week or so, have you happened to make any sort of wish?"

Jenny's face paled, and her eyes darted to the side. "Wish?"

"Did you?"

"No…"

"Kid, I have this superpower where I can tell when someone's lying to me, and I can tell right now. So, come on. The truth."

"I maybe wished once, yes."

"What was it for?"

"I just didn't want Mr. Fagin to be in trouble!"

"What sort of trouble?"

"An older guy kept coming by."

"A friend of Mr. Fagin's?"

"I don't think so. I think the guy scared Mr. Fagin, and once I heard them yelling about money. So I wished that Mr. Fagin could have some way of getting more money."

The wish could account for the dog-to-human transformation, but she couldn't quite be sure. "Are you familiar with Artie?"

"Yes…"

"About when did he start working for Mr. Fagin?"

Jenny closed her eyes. "A day after I made my wish."

"What do you know about Artie?" Emma waited a minute or so for Jenny to answer, but the young girl seemed to be mulling her options over. Emma tried to determine what she could do so as to convince Jenny that talking was the best way to go. The kid seemed rather attached to Fagin, so she added, "I know Mr. Fagin is in a bit of trouble right now, but I'm trying to figure out what's happening. If I can get to the bottom of this, I can help him. If you tell me what you know, you're helping me help him."

Jenny gnawed momentarily on her lower lip. "Okay, so Mr. Fagin used to have a five dogs… but the thing is, I don't really see them anymore. They used to hang out by the dumpster while he was at work, but they're not there anymore. I was looking for them that morning when I ran into you."

"What else can you tell me?"

"It's weird."

"We live in a weird town." Emma smiled as gently as she could. "So, just try me. And remember, I spent a month in Neverland, with Tinkerbell and Peter Pan and Captain Hook, and just before that I was fighting ogres in an Enchanted Forest. I'm pretty much ready to believe anything at this point."

"I think…" Jenny's brow furrowed. "I think Artie is one of his dogs. I don't know how, but I think he is. It's not possible, is it? That my wish did that?"

"It's probably not related," Emma lied. "But… just to be safe, I'm going to have to ask you to not wish for anything for a little while. The Mayor and I are working through the magical aspects of what's going on, and until then we don't want you to accidentally put yourself in danger. Alright?"

"Yeah." Jenny hung her head. "I just wanted to help him."

"You're helping him right now."

Thanking Jenny for her honesty, Emma dipped her head respectfully before heading back down the street, deep in thought and barely paying attention to her surroundings. So focused was she that she didn't notice the girl in front of her and only figured it out once they had crashed into one another. The girl picked herself up, dusted her dress off, and fiddled with a strand of orange hair.

"You were talking to Jenny."

Emma blinked. "Yeah. Police business. Can't discuss it with you."

She stared at the girl, trying to place why the red-head looked so familiar. The girl nodded slowly, eyes not on Emma but on Jenny's house. Emma cleared her throat and tried to excuse herself, but the girl quickly darted in front of her when she tried to leave.

"Please, don't get Jenny dragged into this."

"Who are you, exactly?"

"I'm Olivia," the girl said reproachfully. "I helped you leave Arthur a tip the other day."

"Ah, right. Sorry. It's been a bit of a whirlwind lately. Sorry, again. So, what's going on? Why are you so concerned about Jenny?"

Olivia shrugged. "The stuff going on with Mr. Fagin is not so nice business, okay? I just don't want that business hurting her."

"It won't, but why so worried?"

"I…" Olivia sighed. "Okay, so you can't tell anyone."

"I won't," Emma stated, although already she knew it to be a lie. David would have to be informed of all the developments, and she had a compulsion to keep Regina fully informed as well. "Jenny won't get hurt, and neither will you."

"I'm her kitten." Olivia's gaze flittered down to the cement. "She made that wish, and just like the dogs, it made me human. I don't know why, or if it'll last, or whatever, but-"

"Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?"

"Yeah," Olivia admitted, no shame in her eyes. "Someone has to look out for her."

"If you promise to keep me updated with what's happening between Mr. Fagin and Mr. Spencer, I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep Jenny safe and out of this. How does that sound to you?"

Olivia cocked one eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to do that anyway?"

"Well, yeah. Not purposely put her in danger–-and come when called–-but if you help me out, I'll take some sort of precaution. I'll see about getting someone to keep an eye on her."

"You promise?"

"I do."

Olivia's lips twitched back and forth, making Emma think of a cat's tail flicking behind it. "Okay. But you can't come around. I'll find you."

"Okay." Emma stepped to the side and walked past the little red-head. "Just find me every few days, then. Even if it's just to tell me nothing new is happening."

"And you'll get someone over here."

Emma nodded and lifted a hand in parting. She couldn't ask David to pull that sort of work, so she sorted through a list of names in her head. Hook would do it, she decided, if she asked nicely. And by nicely, she meant smiling a little and batting her eyes. She did feel fleeting remorse about using her feminine wiles in this fashion, but he was so hell bent on proving his worth to her. If he'd just calm down, they might make good friends. They had enough in common, but she simply wasn't interested in him as more than that.

He was persistent, but she'd always felt that she knew one way or another about someone pretty quickly. With Regina there had been an immediate spark, at least from Emma's perspective. Even if things had never turned romantic, she knew her relationship with the other woman would be intense. Emma recalled their first drink together and smirked. She should have known, she thought.

0-0-0

"I don't know if I can handle that," Regina said. "Her making dangerous decisions without my input."

"I'd like to posit you are most comfortable when you are fully in control?"

She snorted. "What gave you that impression?"

"When cursing everyone, you put yourself in the position of ultimate control. As mayor, you oversee everything that happens in this town. You adopted a son. As a mother of a young child, you control everything he eats, everywhere he goes, and everything he is allowed to do-"

"It was rhetorical," she snapped. She knew it was just his job, but his keen insight into her life and person made her uneasy. Nobody was supposed to be able to read her like this. She prided herself on being unpredictable and entirely self-contained. Yet here she was asking this man for advice on how to become a better her. It made her skin crawl. "Clearly-"

"Madam Mayor," Archie interrupted, his tone soothing. "Can you tell me about a time when you felt like you had no control?"

Regina stiffened. The question made her wholly uncomfortable. She hated remembering those times because remembering them brought her right back to those moments. The powerlessness of it all made her want to vomit, but she fought the nausea and steeled herself. This was to better herself. She was going to do this right or not at all. Otherwise she should have left when she wanted to earlier.

There were obvious recent examples she could give him, but she decided that if honesty was how progress was made, she would shoot for brutality to make the quickest progress she could. Despite the pain, she dug back in her memories.

"When I was a little girl," Regina began, "my mother was not very forgiving.

"For my tenth birthday, all I wanted was to go riding with my father. He and I had plans to visit a small valley not far from our castle. The kitchen staff was preparing a small lunch, and we were both excited about spending some time together. He was a busy man when I was younger, as my grandfather died not long after I was born. This was before, I presume, my mother fully took control of his kingdom. Perhaps it was the moment it started…"

"It?"

Regina cringed and shook her head. "Another time. The day before my birthday, my mother announced that there would be a ball on my birthday. I would be in fittings all day the next day so that I looked just the way she wanted me. It was, as she called it, my introduction into society. Never mind that I was already participating in court functions at that point."

"I see," Archie said, probably just to prove he was actively listening. She fought her rising derision.

"I told her that I didn't want a ball, that I just wanted to go riding with my father." Regina rubbed her forefinger and her thumb together, a small gesture that thoughts of her childhood brought back up. It was small enough that Cora hadn't really noticed, and it was the only sign of nervousness that Regina had been allowed.

"And what happened next?"

"My father was mysteriously called away to deal with something or another." Regina's lips trembled. "I had been looking forward to our ride for months, but she decided two days beforehand that it wouldn't happen."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Angry."

"Anger is a good way of deflecting," Archie said, his eyes focused on Regina, "because it hides what we're really feeling. Underneath your anger, what were you feeling?"

Regina took a moment before responding. "Small."

"That's a great observation," Archie praised, but ever eager to push her farther, he tilted his head and asked, "When you feel small, what's your first reaction?"

"I want to destroy whoever made me feel small." Regina's hands fisted against her thighs. She remember just how badly she wanted to put Cora in her place–-and the helpless fury as she stood there in a hideous gown while a seamstress poked her with needles. "I wanted… I wanted to be big again."

"What does feeling big entail?"

Regina licked her lips. "Power. It feels like nobody can take away my happiness."

Archie tapped his pen against his lips. "So your happiness is tangible?"

"What do you mean?"

"Someone can take it from you."

Regina's eyes darted to the side. "I still don't understand what you're getting at, bug."

"Your happiness. It's not something that comes from inside you, is it?" He leaned forward. "You find it outwardly. You find happiness in an outing with your father–-or in Henry, or Emma, and so on."

"What's your point?"

"Can you tell me about a time you felt happy?"

Regina focused on the wall behind his head, her jaw tight and her heart aching. This was too much. She was too raw and too bare–-and–-and she had to do it, she reminded herself. "I don't remember."

"What do you normally feel?"

"Neutral." Regina returned her gaze to his face. "Sad. Angry."

"Anything else?"

"Permutations of those, I suppose."

"What do you feel when you're with Emma?"

"Depending on what idiotic thing she's done, neutral. But I can smile. I can laugh, if I want to."

"And Henry?"

"Light." Regina closed her eyes, drawn into a memory of hugging him. "Peaceful."

Archie nodded. "We're out of time for today, Madam Mayor, but I have some things I want you to work on in the coming week. That is, if you want to come back?"

She sighed deeply and nodded.


	35. Chapter 35

"Thank you for meeting me for lunch." Regina folded her napkin over her lap. She watched the other woman closely before realizing that her gaze was probably intense and could therefore be off-putting. Shifting her gaze to her meal, she waited as patiently as she could for a response.

"I'll admit that I was curious."

"Curiosity can be controlled to a certain degree. Yet you saw fit to come anyway."

Belle nodded slowly, her eyes focused down on her plate. "I've been told before that I see more good in others than is truly there."

"I wanted to apologize."

Belle's eyes flickered to Regina's face, examining every inch for a sign that this was some sort of game. Sensing no deception, Belle released the tension--and the breath--she'd been holding. "I suppose you don't often do so."

"There is very little in my life that I regret." Regina picked up her fork. "However, what I did to you in order to control Rumple… When I was younger I promised myself that I would never use another person the same way I was used. Those ideals were lost along the way, but I'm trying to recover that portion of myself."

"I accept your apology." That was simpler than expected, Regina thought. She glanced at the clock and wondered just how they were going to fill the rest of the lunch hour. Saving her from the social anxiety, Belle asked, "How's Henry doing?"

"Well, although it's hard to tell. The older he gets, the less he is willing to share."

"I can only hope he grows out of it soon." Belle offered a hesitant smile. "I used to wonder what it would be like to be a mother."

Despite the distaste that the image of a small Rumplestiltskin running around brought up, Regina tried to be friendly. "It's not too late, you know."

Belle's laughter sounded like the tinkling of wind chimes. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind one ear, smiled, and flushed. "I don't think Rumple's in any sort of position to have another child."

Regina took a bite of her wrap. "You never know until you ask him."

"I wouldn't have any idea what to do with a baby."

"He does have some experience, you know. Raised a son for a number of years, or so I hear. Then again, we all know how well that turned out." Regina bit back her desire to continue besmirching Rumple in front of his romantic partner. "Still, he's a different man now than he was before. He may truly desire a second chance, in more ways than one."

"That's true in some respects. That he's changed, I mean. However, I've always believed him to be a kind man underneath it all, and I don't think that's changed at all. What you see as different, I see as him merely being himself." Belle met Regina's gaze evenly. "I think you're familiar with that."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Storybrooke is a chance for everyone to be who they are. It stripped us of rank and class, except, of course, your status as mayor. Magic is limited, and other than some recent events, things here are peaceful. We all have that chance."

Regina shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't cast the curse to give everyone a brilliant new life."

"I think you saw the injustice of our home and sought to change it but perhaps not consciously. You've upset the order of things, but in the best way possible. Rumple isn't just the Dark One here. He's a member of the community. Because of you."

"I-"

"I didn't come here to argue with you," Belle interrupted, "or to embarrass you. I came because I thought there may be a chance that someday we might make amends."

0-0-0

Emma walked past Granny's, her hands jammed into her pockets. The conversation with Hook had gone exactly as she thought it would: a few lewd jokes, some stilted flirtation, and finally his acquiescence to her request. He was on his way over to the Foxworth house, which freed her up to go to Spencer's office for a little chat. She doubted he would actually tell her anything worth knowing, but she had a bit of information herself, and she could at least gauge his reactions. A lead was a lead, and she couldn't afford to be picky.

It didn't surprise her that Spencer was somehow tangled up in this. If there was ever a power struggle in Storybrooke, she had no doubt that it would be fueled by his desires. She knew he was capable of murder–-not only of that, but of getting away with it, too. That was what scared her most about him. He knew what he was doing, which put Fagin in a dangerous position. Whatever business they had between them, she was worried that Fagin would end up dead.

She glanced through the window as she walked and paused momentarily. Regina was inside with Belle. The lunch date was strange because last she knew, Regina had locked Belle up for twenty-eight years. Somehow, they were laughing, and it looked like a pleasant enough time. A twinge of jealousy shot through Emma. She had to work hard to make things look easy when she and Regina were out together, yet Regina and Belle were effortlessly friendly even with decades of slighted feelings and false imprisonment.

Maybe there was something wrong with her, Emma considered. Maybe she just wasn't made for this sort of thing. After the whole debacle with Neal, she had thought that relationships weren't worth the pain they inevitably caused. She'd spent ten years proving that over and over again, and she'd taken a chance on Regina, hoping that things would be different this time around. Maybe she was crazy.

Despite how irrational it felt, Emma couldn't help but walk inside the diner. She needed lunch, she rationalized, and it had nothing to do with her curiosity regarding Regina and Belle. Nope, she just needed a burger and a highly caffeinated soda. After sleeping alone the previous night, she could use a bit of a pick me up. She pretended not to see the lunch date as she walked to the counter, leaned over, and started to chat with Ruby.

"Earth to Emma."

"Huh?"

"I asked you if you've seen Snow lately. Sorta seems like the only one you've seen, though, is Regina." Ruby elbowed her and grinned. "But I'd still like an answer to my question."

"Last night." Emma slouched against the counter. "She's not, um, a fan of the current direction in my life."

"You're telling me. She was in here the other day complaining to anyone who'd listen. Which amounted to pretty much me and Granny. She has no idea what she's done wrong that you'd want to leave her like this."

"I'm not leaving her! I want to move a few blocks away."

Ruby laughed. "The way she tells it, you want to move back to Boston."

"I'll talk to her." Emma closed her eyes and added that to her mental list of things she needed to do. The list was growing much faster than she liked. "Do you know anything about what Albert Spencer's been up to lately?"

"Comes in on Sundays for brunch. Sometimes he comes alone, and sometimes he comes with a special guest." Ruby shrugged. "Any more detail than that, you're gonna have to ask specific questions."

"Have you ever seen him in here with Mr. Fagin. Y'know, the guy who runs the pizza place."

Ruby shook her head. "I don't think so. Most of the people he brings in look like big wigs, and no offense to Fagin, but…"

Emma accepted the bag containing her lunch and eased off the counter. "Thanks Ruby."

As she turned, Emma made eye contact with Regina. She smiled widely, as if she had no idea that Regina had been there the entire time, and strolled over. Time to act normal and not like she was a creep who spied through the window and couldn't resist coming inside.

"Hey." Smooth, she thought, and not at all guilty sounding.

"How is your morning, Sheriff Swan?"

Emma blinked slowly. She should have expected some level of formality between them, but it took her by surprise nonetheless. "It's been busy. With everything that's happened, y'know?"

Belle nodded. "Rumple was telling me about the wishes."

"Yeah? What'd he tell you?"

Regina shot Emma a terse look. "We were enjoying lunch…"

"Sorry." Emma lifted her hands. "I guess I'm just really into this whole wishing mystery thing. There's enough wacky stuff in this town, I was hoping to knock this out quick and get back to… normal? If that's possible here."

"He said that children are making wishes that are coming true." Belle dabbed her napkin against her lips. "And he said it was probably connected to your return from Neverland. He was asking for my help. He needs me to do some research about barriers."

"We don't owe you anything for this, right?"

"Sheriff Swan."

"Gold pretty much wouldn't tell me anything without my agreeing to let Neal have partial custody. Here she is just handing it out. I'm sorry if I don't want to end up owing them something."

"Rumple forgets that this is his home now. What I know, I'm willing to share without deals and without price tags because we're in this together."

"Yeah? Well, thanks. Would you mind keeping us up to date on whatever you learn?"

"I will."

"I came in for some lunch," Emma joked, "and I'm leaving with some new ideas. Enjoy your lunch, ladies."

Emma made it outside and around the corner before Regina caught up with her. The brunette tapped her shoulder and waited patiently for Emma to swivel around. Emma stared at her for a moment in silence and then chuckled.

"Did I forget something?"

Regina leaned forward and delicately pressed their lips together. Emma tucked her take-out bag under one arm and placed one hand on Regina's hip. When she felt Regina's tongue lap against her, she slid the other hand along Regina's neck and cupped the back of the brunette's head; the bag dropped to the ground, but she paid it no mind. For her part, Regina fisted her hands in Emma's blouse; she was faintly embarrassed that she was doing this out in public where anyone could see them, but she was going to do Archie's homework if it killed her.

When they parted, Emma brought her fingers to her lips. "What was that about?"

"I'm used to keeping those I care about at a distance," Regina said. It was a struggle to make herself continue, but part of the homework was being honest with Emma about what she was feeling and going through. No person was an island, according to Archie, and she needed to learn to lean on Emma rather than forging ahead alone. "However, I've been told that one of the joys of dating is coming to rely upon one's partner. So I…"

Emma cocked her head and, when Regina didn't finish her sentence, asked, "You're gonna let me in?"

"I'm going to try. I do expect the same efforts from you."

"I want to, but-"

"But negates the first half of a sentence, Emma." Regina firmed her resolve. If Emma couldn't agree to this, then she would walk away. She couldn't risk her feelings on Emma's flippancy.

"I'm just not used to it, okay? Most of the past relationships in my whole life have been rough. But when I committed to this, I committed to doing whatever it took. It'll be hard, yeah, but you just have to learn to be patient with me, okay?"

"I can do that." Regina nibbled on her lower lip before taking a step back. Belle was still waiting in the diner, and they did have a luncheon to finish. She was glad she'd taken the risk of coming outside. Perhaps there was something to what Archie was trying to tell her. She felt lighter, presumably because part of her burden was now carried by another.

"And I'll be patient with you. But we probably shouldn't make Belle wait too long." Now that Regina had kissed her, Emma felt confident enough to kiss the tip of the other woman's nose and then move in for one more real kiss. Regina melted against her and then drew away.

"If you continue in this fashion, I don't think I'll make it back."

Emma felt a blush staining her cheeks, but it was from pleasure rather than humiliation, so she did nothing to cover it up or will it away. "I'll call you tonight, okay?"

Regina straightened her clothing and nodded. "And next time you spy upon my activities, do try to be a little more subtle, darling."

Emma's mouth dropped open. She sputtered, but Regina had already marched primly away. So much for being covert, she thought. In a much better mood than before, she snagged her bag of food and hummed while she walked away. While there was something weird happening in Storybrooke, and things weren't ideal with her parents, she finally felt like something was going right in her life. She had her kid back, and she had a chance at something real.

Her good mood lasted until she reached the district attorney's office. Spencer's secretary, a nervous woman with downcast eyes, insisted that Emma needed an appointment. Mr. Spencer was, after all, a busy man.

Busy? Emma wanted to laugh. She was the sheriff, and she hadn't seen anyone press charges against anyone else. Spencer's list of clients was no doubt slim. Rather than harass the woman who was just doing her job, Emma sighed. "Look, I'm here on official business. I'm sure he knows what that's like. Can you just ask him if he has five minutes?"


	36. Chapter 36

"What is it?" Spencer sat in his chair, knees spread and fingers steepled. To the untrained eye, he looked perfectly at ease, but Emma had made a living reading people in the past and wasn't fooled by his calm demeanor. The man was used to getting away with things, or so his self-confident smile and unwavering gaze told her. There was iron in his posture, making him rigid even as he fought to look relaxed.

"I just have a few questions. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Mr. Spencer. I understand you're a busy man."

"Get on with it. You say you know I'm busy, but then you mince words and waste my time."

"Do you know a Mr. Gerald Fagin?" It was a small question, to test if the name brought out any signs of anxiety. From the news article on the wall at the pizza place, she already knew that he had tried the food.

"Pizza Parlor, yes?" Spencer tapped his fingertips together. "Is this about the break in?"

"Break in?"

"He called me, completely irate, and blamed me for some sort of mishap at his place of business. I presume that you're here to check my alibi. You can check with my secretary for my schedule." He shifted deeper into his seat and waved his hand. "If that's all…?"

"Why would he believe you were responsible?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea. Perhaps you would be better off asking him."

"My sources tell me that you and he had some sort of business with each other."

"Your sources?" Spencer chuckled. "They must be confused. I've eaten there on occasion, when my pantry is empty, but that hardly constitutes business."

"You've been seen arguing with him."

Spencer paused, several seconds passing before he spoke again. His tone remained flat and reserved, but the hesitation was all Emma needed to know that there was something going on that he didn't wish to talk about. "Again, your sources must be confused."

Faced with admitting defeat, Emma decided to bluff as hard as she could. "One source? Maybe. But several? All who place you just outside Pizza Parlor with Mr. Fagin? Having an argument?"

Spencer's eyes narrowed. "With whom have you been speaking?"

"Sources," Emma repeated, "who I don't want you harassing."

"You think I would harass a citizen trying to aid with the enforcement of the law?" He drummed his fingers against the desk. "You wound me."

"You're evading. Maybe you've forgotten what I need to know? What were you arguing with Mr. Fagin about?" Emma watched his eyes dart about the room with a feeling of superiority swelling in her chest. He was used to battles fought with blades, not with words, and he was used to others backing down immediately when he asserted himself. She was not a peasant under his rule, and she refused to be pushed around. While he had been royalty in the Enchanted Forest, here he was just another citizen who was subject to her jurisdiction.

"I seem to recall he overcharged me for pizza." He nodded. "I had forgotten all about that, but he charged me for a large and delivered a small. While it is a minor issue, you simply can't let those who serve you get away with things like that."

Emma didn't believe him but had no proof to push him further. She stood and moved toward the door. "Thank you for your time. I'll be sure to make an appointment the next time I have questions."

"You'll have more?"

She twisted briefly to stare him directly in the eye. "Mr. Spencer, I ask that you keep in mind that here, in Storybrooke, you are just a man."

"I am a king," he spat back. "And you are the whelp of a shepherd."

"Nice to see your true colors." She lifted her hand as she left. "Don't leave town."

"As if I could," he muttered.

0-0-0

Regina returned to her meal, an apology on her lips. That faded, however, when she spotted Belle fishing money from her purse. She put a hand on Belle's wrist and shook her head. "Leaving so soon?"

"I got a call from Rumple. He thinks he might have found something."

Regina tried to contain her interest and failed. "Oh?"

"I don't know anything, yet. All he said on the phone was that he found a book with a passage that might relate to our current situation. I'll let you know what I know as soon as I can." She tossed a few dollars onto the table and stood. "You can trust me, Regina."

"I know," Regina answered honestly. "You can trust me as well."

It surprised her when Belle met her gaze and nodded without even a hint of suspicion. Being one of the 'good guys' seemed to have its benefits, she decided. In the Enchanted Forest, when she was villainous, nobody would ever look at her with that guileless expression. The thought made her chest tighten. This was good. She was good.

"Until later."

"Maybe we could do this again." Regina kept her voice steady, despite the jangling of her anxiety. "Perhaps once a week. To discuss the situation, I mean."

Belle nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. Next week, same day and time?"

"Very well."

Regina watched the other woman leave and considered what her next move would be. She was used to doing more than she currently was, but now all she could do was wait for others to give her information regarding their own investigations. If she didn't have mayoral duties, she would have gone completely crazy with the waiting. She added her own tip to Belle's before exiting the diner and heading for town hall. There would no doubt be something there that required her attention.

Twenty minutes later, she slumped down against her desk. Things were quiet. Unbearably so. She would have thought that there was more going on in her town or at least papers to sign, or disputes to settle, or people to boss around. But there was nothing but to sit at her desk and look official. This felt horribly like the years of her curse during which she and Rumple were the only ones aware of what was transpiring. There hadn't been anything for her to do because the days were so awfully the same.

She drummed her fingers on her desk, sat a moment longer, and then stood. She wasn't used to doing nothing, and she was a doer, not a waiter. While she couldn't directly help with Emma's investigation, she could still informally canvass the town. As far as she knew, Emma wasn't focusing so much on children wishing, but on the pizza place. It could be her job to figure out not what was causing the wishes, but who had wished and for what.

With this in mind, she walked to the door. At the sound of her secretary talking loudly to someone on the phone, she paused to eavesdrop a moment. Old habits died hard, she mused.

"I know! Look, all I'm saying is that you're really lucky. Ugh, it makes me wish I had gone into it with you. I know, okay? It sucks, yeah, but at least it's not the suckiest. Mandy, stop. They just want you to pay what you owe. It totally won't help to go to a lawyer. They're cutting you a break, so just chill out! Just be glad you're not paying thirty years' worth of interest. If I got a loan today, interest rates would be so much higher than the ones you're looking at you. You'll be done paying in like five years. Me? I'd be paying for like thirty."

Tired of listening to the gossip, especially about people she cared very little about, Regina breezed out of her office. She stopped briefly to give her secretary instructions. As if either of them had a lot to do, she thought, and her schedule needed rearranging. She was painfully aware that her behavior was purely posturing, but she just didn't know what to do otherwise. The secretary nodded and began typing fervently on the computer, and Regina recognized that they were both playing the same game.  As soon as Regina turned and walked down the hall, the secretary put the phone back to her ear and resumed nattering.

Regina banished all thoughts of her job from her mind on the short drive to the high school. It was just after two, which meant that the staff should be around. If it were after school hours, she would have gone straight to the park to speak with children; for now, her best bet was talking to those who were constantly around children. She bypassed the front office staff with a few short words and an air of authority, and soon, she was seated before the principal, an older woman with a shock of grey hair and a serious mien.

"Mayor Mills, how good of you to interrupt my day."

"I'll only take a moment of your time." Regina tried to remember just who Ms. Schumaker was in the Forest but couldn't recall seeing the other woman's face. "Have things been stressful lately?"

"It's a high school. Of course things are stressful. If there isn't one child a week having some sort of meltdown or major problem, I'd believe myself dead." Ms. Schumaker's face broke into a mirthless smile. "The school is overpopulated. There are too many kids, and I…"

As Ms. Schumaker lifted her hands in mock defeat, Regina finished the sentence: "Don't know what to do."

"Exactly."

"Like I said, I'll only take a moment of your time." Regina decided that although there was tactical reason to beat around the bush, the other woman would give her more information if she were as direct as possible. Ms. Schumaker was no doubt used to kids sitting before her, giving her half-answers, and being as vague as humanly possible. "Have you noticed anything strange around the school lately?"

"Strange? This is high school."

"I mean, have you noticed anything that you can't really explain?"

"Again, this is high school." Ms. Schumaker peered at Regina and narrowed her eyes. "Have you heard something? Are there drugs in my school?"

"No. Well, not that I know of. The Sheriff and I have been working together on a rather odd case. It seems, for one reason or another, certain persons in this town are able to make wishes that come true." Regina leaned back in her chair and watched Ms. Schumaker's face. The other woman had no reason to lie, but it was such a second nature response that Regina couldn't help but scrutinize each tiny reaction.

Ms. Schumaker's lips pursed, but her posture relaxed. "Oh. I suppose that's nothing new, given the nature of this town. It seems almost impossible to have nothing going wrong here, hm?"

"Indeed. Which is why we want to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. As mayor, it is my responsibility to keep the citizens safe, especially the children-"

Ms. Schumaker lifted a hand. "You don't have to hit me with a campaign speech. These kids drive me crazy, but I love them. I need no convincing to help you. As far as I know, there have been a few outbursts in class, but overall, things have been quiet."

"Can I speak with the children who caused the outbursts?"

"I'll have to talk to their parents first, but I'm sure we can arrange something."

"Can you tell me anything about the outbursts?"

Ms. Schumaker shrugged. "One young man interrupted his math class when his backpack spilled open and several kittens emerged. Another incident concerned a hole between the men's and the women's locker room. It seems that Coach Klinger discovered several young women peeping, but none of the girls would admit to who drilled the hole in the first place. There was also quite a fuss when a previously small, timid young man arrived at school seemingly having grown intense musculature overnight."

These all could very well be wishes, Regina determined, but it didn't look like the secret had gotten out just yet. She didn't want to risk anything, so before she let Ms. Schumaker resume principal activity, she offered the other woman a business card. "If you could let those parents know and then let me know what they say, I'd be very grateful."

"Of course."

Regina left the office feeling just a bit better about what was happening. It could be contained. The thought of so many children all making wishes that came true made her feel ill. Such a thing would wreak untold havoc on the town, and she, like Ms. Schumaker, just wanted some peace for once. She would buy silence from the children, if she could, and she would do her part in making Storybrooke safe.

She just hoped that Rumple, Belle, and Emma were all doing their parts as well. Emma she didn't worry about; Belle she knew would do whatever possible; but Rumple... She wasn't so sure what his angle was. After Emma denied his request for Baelfire's custody of Henry, he really had no reason to investigate or help. Whatever he was having Belle read up on, Regina wasn't convinced it was for the betterment of Storybrooke, so much as for his own private interests.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: Sexual content in this chapter

Emma drowsed against her desk. Although sleeping without Regina pressed against her was getting easier, she just didn't sleep as deeply or as well. She often woke much more tired than when she fell asleep, and after the day's adventures across town, she was ready for a nap. Unfortunately, her brain was much too active for her to do much more than rest her eyes. According to David, the letter she recovered before was a record of several financial transactions. What she wanted to know, and what wasn't listed, was what the payments were for, or who they were to. Until she had those answers, she feared her brain would keep whirling.

"So, this is what you're getting paid to do?"

Emma lifted her head and summoned a weary smile. "Cut me a break, Regina."

"I suppose I'll have to help you sleep." Regina's lips curled up as well. "For the sake of justice in this town."

"I can't say no to that." Emma sat upright and twisted the chair back and forth. "Not that I'm complaining--because I'm definitely not--but what brings you here, Madam Mayor?"

"I recently had a meeting with the principal of the high school. It seems that some students have caused various disturbances over the past week or two."

"The wishes."

"Yes."

"I wish I was having the same luck you were. As far as I can tell, there's something going on between Spencer and Fagin, but neither will admit to dealing with the other. My only witness is a kid–-a kid who, I should mention, is being fiercely protected by another kid who used to be a cat."

"So, you've had a busy day?"

"The worst part is that this is so par for this town." Emma rubbed her forehead with the heel of her palm. "Sometime, when things get quiet, we definitely need to take a vacation."

Regina remained silent for a moment, reveling in the notion that there was a 'we' in Emma's statement. They were a unit. They could take time off with one another. They could go places. And all of this together. While this definitely made her anxious, she also found some comfort in the fact that Emma saw their relationship continuing on for some extended period of time.

"Anyway," Emma continued, a little embarrassed but genuinely happy she could make Regina flush, "I've definitely had easier days. Worse days, too. Life was simpler when all I had to do was smash a guy's head into a steering wheel."

Regina cocked an eyebrow. "Would you trade your life now for what you had then?"

Emma paused, thinking carefully before speaking. "I miss the normalcy, y'know? I miss knowing exactly how the world worked. It was predictable. I knew how to work the system to get what I wanted. Here, everything's so change-y. I don't know the rules, and I probably never will. I get away with shit because of my parents, but, like, I don't know why."

"You would go back."

"I didn't say that. I may have known that world, but I didn't know the people in it. I lived a pretty lonely life. I kept to myself, and all the interactions I did have felt so fake and forced. Mostly because I faked or forced them." Emma shrugged. She managed to not get too choked up, but this was a tender area. "Maybe I've changed, but I like knowing the people here more than I liked knowing the world out there. It's too bad things aren't different, but I can deal with magic as long as..."

Regina waited a moment for Emma to finish, but the silence between them lingered. "Emma?"

Emma drummed her fingers against the desk. Having feelings was difficult enough, but now she was trying to share them. She didn't have the appropriate words, and she feared her window for learning an emotional language had already closed. Still, Regina couldn't fault her for trying. She licked her lips.

"As long as I've got you and Henry." She avoided meeting Regina's eyes. "Stupid, I know."

"Indeed," Regina responded, drawing Emma's incredulous gaze. "But perhaps we both have lower IQs than I thought."

"Yeah, maybe." Emma smiled, and, for a moment, Regina felt like nothing else mattered. Odd things would likely continue to happen in Storybrooke, but none of that would have an effect on what was truly meaningful in her life.

However, the moment was a little too honest for the sheriff's station. As anyone could come barging through the doors and happen on their little sharing fest, Regina cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Henry is at basketball practice this afternoon."

"He's still going for it, huh? Even though he's sorta with Ava and not going after Paige?"

"I didn't think to ask him, as his original reason for joining the team was that he liked basketball. Asking now would inform him that I never believed that in the first place."

"Maybe he really does love basketball."

"My point is, regardless of Henry's predilections, that the house will be empty for a few more hours this afternoon." Regina stared pointedly at her. "There are large bags under your eyes."

"Are there?" Emma touched her cheeks. "That's funny because I'm definitely like Rip Van Winkle. Out like a light."

"Not that I don't believe you," Regina bit back a snort that would openly display her disbelief, "but you can barely keep your eyes open."

"Well, since I got here, I've learned that I have parents, and magic, so I'm really just testing what else might be hiding in me. X-Ray vision maybe?"

"If that develops, we may have a radiation problem."

"One thing at a time." Emma lifted her hands up. "Let's solve the issues we have before we start inventing new ones."

Regina nodded. "Precisely why you should come by the house in a bit for a nap. You'll think more clearly after you sleep."

"Can't argue with that."

0-0-0

Emma yawned as she walked down the street. After Regina left her to her work, she had muddled onward for a half hour or so. Eventually, Regina's offer of a nap was too intensely enticing. The prospect of sleeping well, even for a short period of time, was making her sleepy, so no actual work was getting accomplished. Regina was right; she really would make more progress after resting, and she stumbled down the road with heavy eyelids.

As she approached Regina's home, she realized just how awful her ramshackle trip across town must have looked to the residents of Storybrooke: Their duly elected sheriff acting like a drunk in the middle of the day, heading for the mayor's house. With no new massive happenings in town, gossip had dried up quickly. She had no doubt that before dinner time, half the town would know about her conduct. Not that she was intent on keeping her relationship with Regina secret, but they were already too much in the public eye for her taste.

That was her biggest issue with Storybrooke in general, really. There was no such thing as being discreet because there were eyes everywhere. She'd probably get a call from Snow later, chiding and scolding and mothering. Emma had wanted a mother for so long that she had never stopped to consider what that would entail. Apparently, it entailed having someone more interested in her business than she was. Still, she wasn't going to complain too much. She'd move into her own place, and then things between them would be so very much better.

She jogged up the path, grateful to be at her destination. After rapping her knuckles on the door, she leaned against the nearest pillar and closed her eyes. Sleep was going to feel so good, and then she could deal with every little problem in her life, from dogs to wishes to mothers.

When Regina opened the door, Emma tried her hardest not to simply fling herself into the brunette's arms. They had been apart such a short period of time, but the relief Regina offered her was very real. She managed to keep herself at bay for about five seconds, but as Regina lounged against the door frame, her resolve dissolved in a flash. She surged forward, nested her nose against Regina's neck, and pressed herself against Regina's body.

"Ms. Swan, please come in before indulging in such overt displays of affection."

Emma released her hold and flushed. "Sorry. It's been hard keeping myself contained with the tiredness and all."

Regina truly didn't mind but said nothing further; she simply gestured for Emma to step past her. Together they headed up the main staircase, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Emma tugged her jacket off and practically dove into the soft bedding. Regina's bed was much softer than her own; lying on the mattress felt like resting atop stuffed rabbits. The real draw to sleeping there, however, was lingering at the foot of the bed.

"Gonna join me?"

Regina unbuttoned her blouse, drawing Emma's immediate attention. "Belle is currently researching something big for Rumple. She said she'd tell me whenever she discovered anything, but I can't help but wonder what he thinks he's onto."

"Mhm." Emma had been tired, but the sight of Regina undressing was better than a shot of caffeine. She ought to pay attention to what Regina was saying, she knew that. Instead, she focused on the olive oil skin presented to her.

"He never does anything without some sort of benefit to himself," Regina continued, "which makes me question his intent with this research. How is this profitable to him?"

"I dunno." Emma licked her lips. "Not to interrupt, but this so isn't the conversation I thought we'd be having. Well, after nap, yes. Before nap? Not really able to talk business." She considered things a second longer. "No business, and no magic."

Regina chuckled as she shimmied into a softer nightshirt. She could have napped in her clothing, but there was something tantalizing about teasing Emma with a glimpse of flesh. She hadn't missed the way Emma's voice had changed pitch, nor how Emma's gaze was drilling into her. She was willing to forego conversation in favor of slipping into bed next to the suddenly alert woman.

"Very well, dear, but we can't let it go for too long."

Emma's mouth felt terribly dry. The light-weight shirt Regina had chosen clung to Regina's chest, and when Regina removed her bra, the hardened tips of Regina's nipples were visible. She hadn't come to Mifflin St for any sort of sexual purpose, but her mind wandered back to the fantasy she'd had earlier that week that had resulted in a pretty decent climax when she touched herself.

Regina yawned as she stretched out next to Emma and was greatly pleased that Emma wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. With Emma's hand splayed possessively over her stomach, Regina felt safe and content. Emma's pinky was awfully close to the waistband of her pants, which made Regina's heart thud a little harder. She swallowed down her desire, unsure of what Emma wanted.

"How long 'til the kid comes home?" Emma's voice was husky, and her breath warmed the patch of skin just behind Regina's ear.

"An hour and a half."

Emma considered that information for several long, silent seconds. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips. "Oh…"

They weren't very good at speaking of these things, Regina thought. From the atmosphere of the room, she was beginning to understand that Emma was very much so on the same page that she was. She settled her hand over Emma's and, after a moment's deliberation, pulled the hand down over her groin.

Emma's breath caught in her throat. "You're sure."

No, Regina thought, she'd moved Emma's hand there for their mutual comfort while they slept. She had to appreciate Emma's concern for her consent, though, so rather than responding in a snarky fashion, she murmured a very quiet, very firm, "Yes."

Needing no further prompting, Emma cupped Regina's center and reveled in the warmth she felt even through two layers of clothing. She moved slowly, her weariness giving way to desire, and laid Regina out on her back. Easing down, she kissed the tip of Regina's nose before pressing their lips together. As they kissed, Emma began massaging the area where she guessed Regina's clit to be. Regina rumbled pleasantly, her hips arching up to meet Emma's hand.

Emma deepened the kiss, determined not to mess this up. As with their date, she was sure this would either go extremely well or incredibly piss poor. For the sake of their relationship, she needed to make sure this was exactly what Regina wanted and needed. Breaking momentarily from its massage, Emma's hand snaked up under the nightshirt and latched onto Regina's breast. A frustrated sigh slipped past Regina's lips.

"We have over an hour," Emma whispered. "I want to take my time. I want to know all of you."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut and pushed her head back against the pillow. This would be sweet torture. Moments later, she was yanked up off the bed in Emma's haste to rid her of her shirt. Once that was gone, Emma settled her back down and went about placing light kisses along Regina's skin. She took special care around the brunette's nipples, using the slightest of touches to arouse Regina further. Already worked up and sensitive, Regina hissed when Emma's mouth finally slid over her areola.

Emma suckled there until Regina's hands grabbed her shoulders with bruising force. Regina pressed down, hoping to force Emma toward the area requiring more urgent attention. Still unwilling to hasten her pace, Emma smirked and began licking and kissing different portions of Regina's torso. She paused at a small, vertical scar over Regina's belly button. When Emma stopped, Regina tilted her head up.

"Why did you halt?"

Emma traced a finger along the mark. "What's this from?"

"A coming of age ritual," Regina responded as she nestled back among the pillows. "It was supposed to ensure fertility."

"Oh." Emma kissed it gingerly. She could tell from Regina's tone that this was not a topic eagerly discussed, especially given the current circumstances. Eager to keep things on track, Emma undid Regina's button and slid the last few articles of clothing off. Resuming her path south, she eventually reached her target and swished her tongue briskly over Regina's clit.

"Yes," Regina hissed. Finally, she thought. Her fingers clutched the sheets tightly. Emma could be so infuriating, but the payoff was much better than she imagined. She groaned as Emma blew a gust of cold breath against her heated skin, and then moaned as Emma immediately lapped her hot tongue against the same space.

Emma focused in on her work, enjoying the symphony of noises she was coaxing out of the other woman. She worked Regina into a frenzy with a combination of short, tentative laps at Regina's clit and firmer strokes that encompassed Regina's cunt from bottom to top. She could hear Regina panting, begging, and calling her name. Deciding that she'd played enough for the moment, she focused her onslaught on Regina's clit until Regina stiffened beneath her. She kissed Regina's inner thighs before heading back up Regina's body and kissing Regina's forehead.

"Worth the wait?"

Regina wiped a bead of sweat from her temple and rolled her eyes. "Always cocky and confident, hm, Ms. Swan?"

"Not always," Emma admitted.

"Oh?" Regina brushed her fingers through Emma's soft hair, noting that even mussed the other woman had beautiful locks.

"I'm not perfect." Emma laughed. "I feel like I've talked this into the ground, but… I know we're not perfect, either, but I really want this. I'm going to mess up, and so are you, but maybe we can actually make it work, y'know? And that scares me. I'm not confident or cocky about that at all. This sort of permanence really used to make my skin crawl. I don't know how to be a part of a family, y'know, and here I am inserting myself into one."

Regina nodded slowly. Speaking openly was remarkably easy in the bedroom, but she didn't mind at the moment. While sex with Ms. Swan was incredibly pleasing, her enjoyment only grew when their intimacy increased as well. "We'll figure this out together."

Emma buried her face in the crook of Regina's neck. "What if I run again? What if I can't take it? Or worse, what if I stay?"

"I didn't think being with Henry and me was that large a--"

"That's not what I mean," Emma huffed. "I'm scared that I won't be me anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a shitty little orphan. That's what I've always been. I get in trouble, I have no friends, and I don't trust. People don't change."

"They don't?" Regina pushed, rolling Emma over. "Then I suppose I'm still an evil queen?"

"Well…"

"I'm currently seeking revenge on your mother? Ripping out hearts?"

"No," Emma responded. "But that's different. That's behavior. You yourself haven't changed, have you?"

Regina was going to deny Emma again but hesitated. Who she was now reminded her a good deal of the young girl in love with the stable boy. Perhaps she hadn't changed into someone good but returned to the good person she used to be.

"You have a point," Regina murmured, her lips grazing Emma's skin. "But so do I. While you vehemently deny that my behavior constitutes who I am, you ignore that you are more than your choices. Underneath your penchant for running and your self-ascribed inability to function in a family, is a little girl who wanted just that for years, until rejection hardened her. You assume you are bad, when in fact the contrary is true."

Emma ran her fingernails down Regina's back and didn't resist as Regina removed her clothing with gentle fingers and the utmost care. She felt Regina's fingers sliding over her caesarean section scars and closed her eyes as those fingers dipped lower. Regina took her time massaging Emma, putting special emphasis on Emma's thighs. As she got closer to the apex of Emma's legs, she watched Emma's face scramble between relaxed and calm and frantically biting her lips. Aware that they didn't have too much time left, she slid her fingers into Emma's center.

Emma's walls clenched around her as she curled her index finger up. Her eyebrows inched up her forehead as Emma mewled in response. Her partner seemed to be part kitten. As she pumped her fingers steadily, she wondered if she could at some point make Emma purr. She kissed the supple flesh by Emma's knee and removed her fingers to apply pressure to Emma's clit; the knee under her mouth trembled.

"Please, Regina."

"Something you like?" Regina moved up Emma's body, leaving her hand where it was but wanting to look into Emma's eyes as she brought the blonde to climax.

"Uhn…"

"I won't make you beg," Regina teased, "at least not this afternoon."

Placing her thumb against Emma's clit, she ducked her fingers back inside and resumed thrusting. The continued pressure on her clit combined with the penetration pulled a yowl from Emma's throat; she quivered, sniffed, and rolled onto her side.

"Are you okay?" Regina set a hand on her shoulder and pulled gently until Emma was sprawled before her. Tears dribbled down Emma's cheeks, splattering onto the sheets. There was a sleek sheen of mucus under Emma's nose, but Regina chose to ignore that in favor of paying attention to Emma's distraught eyes.

"Fine."

"You're practically sobbing, Emma. I do not think that's the definition of fine."

Emma pawed at her eyes. "This is just a lot, okay?"

"What is?"

"Do you know how it feels to go from nothing to everything?" Emma snuffled.

"The first time I held Henry. I think I can understand." Regina tried not to feel too proud of herself, although she hoped that not every sexual encounter between them would end in tears, no matter how happy they might be.

Emma took several steadying breaths. "What time is it?"

Their conversation had apparently concluded. No matter, Regina thought. They had made some form of progress, and she could live with that. There would be more progress later. "We have forty minutes until Henry returns home."

Scrambling out of bed, Emma located her discarded clothing and dressed quickly. She tossed Regina clothing as well and then smiled. "Then there's still just enough time for a good twenty minute nap, followed by some discussion of all the whacky stuff in our lives."

Regina redressed silently. Once Emma was snuggled up behind her once more, she said, "Do you want to talk about what just happened?"

"Later," Emma whispered, her breathing already beginning to even. "Can we just let it be for now?"

"Will it happen again?"

"Oh, I hope so." Emma hugged her. "Now hush. I came here to nap, and I'm gonna nap, darn it."

Regina snorted but allowed Emma to drift off to sleep.


	38. Chapter 38

The hysterical beeping of her cell phone roused Regina from her sleep. She'd set it to go off approximately ten minutes before Henry arrived home so that she could get up, redress, and look as if nothing had transpired, but Emma was still holding her like she were a teddy bear. As comfortable as she was, she could find no impetus to move. She used to be so efficient, she mused, but now she was a profligate with her time. Because Emma had slept through the alarm, she would allow for five more minutes of peace and quiet.

Letting Emma sleep gave her a few minutes to consider the sharp change in their relationship. There had been open communication between them, but Regina wasn't sure that would continue after they left this bed. The pattern seemed to be that they had little problem being intimate in private but couldn't manage to say much of substance outside. She wondered if Emma wanted to improve in this area as much as she did. With a little bit of effort, they could have a functional family, which was more than either of them had ever had.

She sank back into Emma's embrace and felt a bit lightheaded at the concept that this perfect moment could become a regular thing. She didn't want to move too quickly, but she was aware of her predilection for investing her whole heart into everything she did. Like a snake that'd begun feeding, she couldn't stop. She just hoped that Emma was cognizant of what this meant for her. For now, she would trust Emma with her heart.

A few minutes before she had to move, Emma stretched and yawned, her arms tightening around Regina's waist. Regina smiled and allowed Emma to hold her for that last moment longer. Emma nuzzled her neck and kissed her shoulder.

"Time to get up."

"Is it?" Emma's voice was still drowsy. She shifted away from Regina, and Regina missed her absence already. "Shoot. Time really got away from us, huh?"

"We still have a few moments before Henry comes home. He may linger with his friends."

"I'm glad he has those now." Emma twisted and favored Regina with a sleepy smile. "I mean-"

"There is no need to explain yourself," Regina replied. Remembering how isolated Henry had been still pained her, but she knew that his seclusion had been because of her curse. She hated when others didn't take responsibility for their actions, and she was beginning to realize that she had failed to do such herself. "I'm glad as well."

"We've come a long way, haven't we?"

"We've only been home from Neverland for a week or so. How much can actually have changed?"

"A whole lot." Emma swung her legs out of the sheets and staggered to her feet. "Before all this, I barely trusted you with my coffee. Now, though…"

Regina followed after her. "Now?"

Emma flushed and turned away so that Regina didn't see the red tint to her cheeks. "Now, I know you've got my back. I know that I can trust you with my life and with Henry's."

After a moment of silence, Regina moved forward and slid her arms around Emma's stomach. She didn't have the words to express herself in that moment, so she hoped an earnest hug would suffice. On hearing the front door, she drew back and reached up to fix her hair. She walked to the bathroom to give herself a chance to regain composure. Emma cleared her throat.

"I'm gonna go see if the kid wants a snack."

"Nothing too sugary," Regina ordered. She leaned against the counter top and sucked in several deep breaths.

0-0-0

Emma searched the first floor and found Henry in the living room. He was crouched down in front of a metal crate; a long pink tongue fervently bathed his fingers. Oh yeah, Emma recalled, there was a dog now. The pup had been so quiet during their nap that she hadn't even thought about its existence. She ruffled Henry's hair.

"Hey, kid. Want something to eat?"

He smiled up at her as he fiddled with the crate, loosing the hound. Bolt bounded out and immediately reared back on his hind legs to get a better lick at Henry's face. Henry toppled backward, laughing. After pushing Bolt away, he wiped the slobber from his cheeks and said, "Yeah. But not something healthy. Mom always makes me have like an apple or something. Any chance I could have ice cream?"

Emma wrinkled her nose. "She told me not to let you have anything too sugary."

He stood, dusted off his pants, and grinned mischievously at her. "I happen to know that we have sugar free ice cream."

"Kid, sometimes I think you're too smart for your own good."

"What? It's not breaking her rule, and I get what I want."

"You definitely get that from her." She snorted and led the way to the kitchen. Although she couldn't fault his logic, she also didn't want to incite Regina's wrath. Rather than serve him ice cream, she opened the fridge, grabbed a baggy of grapes, and set them in front of Henry. "I don't think either of us wants to sit here and explain why you're eating ice cream."

He sighed. "It was worth a try. Can Bolt have ice cream?"

"Nope."

"I'm not sure I like you spending so much time with my mom." He eyed her suspiciously. "You woulda let me have ice cream before."

"Well…" She hemmed and hawed before continuing, unwilling to let him in on too many details. "Your mom and I finally have an understanding. It's a really good understanding--so good that I don't want to risk spoiling it, especially not over ice cream."

He picked a grape and popped it into his mouth. After appraising her and chewing the grape, he said, "I know you two are dating and everything, but that doesn't mean you have to be like her. She likes you because of who you are, not because you're suddenly gonna do everything she says."

"Kid, thanks for the thought, but I really don't need relationship advice from you."

He shrugged. "I'm just saying. Me and Ava like each other because of that, and things are going really well."

"Yeah, lover boy? She was so impressed with your kiss that you two are a thing now?"

He brushed off her teasing with a sly smirk. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Kid, I know this is none of my business, but I just want to make sure. You're not dating her because you want someone else to be jealous, right?"

"What?"

"I thought maybethe basketball was to impress someone. Like a cheerleader." At his blank look, she continued, "Like Paige?"

"Ugh." He buried his face in his hands. "I liked her for two minutes, Emma. Besides, I like basketball. It's fun. I don't have to like a girl to get into it."

"Good. People really don't like when you're not upfront about what you want."

"What do you want from my mom?"

Emma's eyes flickered to the doorway; Regina stood there, waiting silently for her answer. She licked her lips and returned her gaze to Henry. "I guess I want us to be a family."

Finding no fault with that answer, Henry slogged down another few grapes and reached down to scratch Bolt's ears. "I want that, too, I think. So you better not mess it up."

"Me?" Emma sputtered for a moment. "Why would I be the one that messes things up?"

He eyed her and lied, "You're a bit of a klutz."

"Being clumsy, which I'm not anyway, isn't a factor in keeping a relationship together," she argued.

Waving his hand flippantly at her, he headed back to the living room for some quality entertainment before he started his homework. Fuming, Emma turned to Regina, who had entered the kitchen more fully once Henry had exited. In response to Emma's consternation, Regina smirked.

"You're letting him get under your skin."

"He definitely takes after you." Emma folded her arms grouchily over her chest. "I didn't realize that becoming part of this family meant getting twice the sass."

"Our comments are all in good fun--"

"Sometimes they hurt, okay?" Emma pulled away when Regina reached for her. She had come here for a nap, and now that task was completed. Rather than stick around, she wanted to return to her plans for the day.

"Emma, I cannot modify my behavior if you don't share with me what's irked you--"

"I can't talk about it right now." Emma knew that running was what she had always done; she had tried so hard to alter her reactions and communicate, but she wanted nothing more in that moment than to flee and process. They'd had such a nice afternoon, and yet, somehow things felt awful now. Henry's comment had been a jest, she understood that, but she was so used to being the one who fucked things up that he had opened up old wounds. "I'll call you later."

Regina watched Emma stomp away, wondering all the while what exactly had just occurred. They had been making progress. They had shared their feelings successfully before, and now Emma was fleeing rather than sharing. Anger bubbled through her. She was trying incredibly hard to make their relationship work, and Emma was not. She braced herself against the counter and took several shaking breaths. Her fury was disrupted, however, at a small yip near her feet.

She glanced down and watched Bolt watching her. She could have sworn that Bolt had followed Henry to the living room. Coming back would imply that the dog had sensed something was amiss and returned to check on her. The thought was preposterous. Despite his name, Bolt was in no way a super dog. She peered at him and wondered. He pawed at her leg.

Bending down, she set her hand atop his head. His tongue lolled out and he tilted his nose up so he could better accost her arm with kisses. Involuntarily, a smile slid across her face. She settled more comfortably onto the floor and let him clamber into her lap. As she stroked his soft white fur, she let go of the last of her volatile emotions.

"You're a good dog, I think," she murmured. Feeling a bit foolish but wanting to talk, she said, "This conversation goes nowhere, correct? What I tell you is not to be repeated." He yipped in what she hoped was agreement. "Ms. Swan is the most frustrating person I've ever met. She says she wants to be with me, yet her actions imply the opposite. Is the onus purely on me to drag her kicking and screaming through this relationship? Am I expecting too much of her by wanting her to express herself?" Regina paused to rub Bolt's belly when he flopped onto his side. "I suppose if you could talk you could give me all the answers. Barring that, I'll just have to figure this out for myself."

0-0-0

Emma stood on the porch.

She shoved her hands in her front pockets and rocked on her heels. A string of expletives ran through her head. If she hadn't fucked things up already, like Henry had implied, she was certainly doing so now. She had stormed out without giving Regina any information; even if she couldn't yet talk about her issue, she could have at least assured the brunette that they would have a discussion later or mentioned what her gripe was about. Instead, she had reverted to her old habits and left.

"Damn," she muttered. She wanted to make this work so badly, but she felt out of her depth. She had too much on her plate right now. She had a family, and a job, and a kid, and a girlfriend, and a mystery. Despite having a number of odd talents, she had never learned to juggle. She'd spent too much time living alone and caring only about her own needs. She had to be better.

Steeling herself, she lifted her hand and knocked on the front door. After several seconds, she could hear footsteps. The door swung open, and Regina eyed her curiously. She couldn't identify the emotions in Regina's expression, but she hoped that her sudden reappearance wasn't unwelcome.

"Emma?"

"Yeah," Emma said. She ducked her head sheepishly. "Here's the thing. I'm not sure how to talk about the stuff tumbling around just yet. But I get that I can't just run away anymore. Well, not if I want to keep you, right? So… the kid sorta set off some old stuff I've never really dealt with. I'm gonna take some time to think about it, but I promise we'll talk about it later, okay?"

Regina moved forward, placed a hand on Emma's chest, and leaned up. The kiss was short and sweet, and when Regina pulled back, she demurred, "Call me before bed."


	39. Chapter 39

Her victory with Regina added a bounce to Emma's step as she walked home. Along the way, she watched the passing houses and apartments for any 'For Rent' signs, but doing so reminded her of the problem she'd faced the first few weeks of being in Storybrooke. The town had been built to occupancy by the curse, which meant there wasn't much space for any outsiders. She could always stay continuously at the bed and breakfast…

The other two options were even less appealing. She could ask Regina for help. Things were going so well between them now that Emma didn't want to add this additional stressor of finding her a place to live. Part of her fantasized about moving straight into Regina's home, but she banished that peculiar thought. Their romantic relationship was brand new, and she wasn't ready just yet for Regina to see all her bad habits.

The second option was to just continue on at Snow's.

"Hey, Emma."

She halted and turned, although she knew she ought to keep walking. There was a reason she hadn't heard that voice recently: she had been doing a fairly excellent job avoiding the speaker. "Oh, Neal. Hey."

"Something up? It feels like you're avoiding me."

She shook her head. "I'm not avoiding you. There's just always something going on here, and I'm the sheriff. Gotta protect the people."

He scratched the back of his neck and smiled at her. "I know things are busy, but I was hoping you'd get some coffee with me. Maybe tomorrow morning? I just want to talk."

Talking to him sounded like the most uncomfortable thing in the world. She had a rejection ready to fire when she realized that she'd just be running away from another problem yet again. Still, if she agreed to the following morning, then that gave her much too much time to change her mind and blow him off. "What are you doing right now?"

"Now's fine," he replied, his lips quirking up into the same crooked smile that had originally made her knees weak. Now, though, the expression just rankled her. He wanted to pretend that nothing had changed, when quite obviously everything had. "Granny's okay?"

"Just fine." She steeled herself and walked forward. This conversation was overdue, and she was going to get it over with. She hoped that nobody saw them walking together down the sidewalk. The last thing she needed was the rumor flying about that she was entangled with Henry's biological father once again. "I have about half an hour, but then I really need to finish up some work and get home."

He lifted his hands and shrugged. "I'll take what I can get. What's going on, anyway? Anything I can help with?"

"You any good at catching dogs?"

"Can't say I've ever tried. I'd be willing to lend you a hand, if you needed me to."

She walked a little faster. "The dog's the least of my worries right now, really."

"What else is up?"

As they approached Granny's, she glanced over her shoulder at his face and noted the genuine caring still lingering there. She could take advantage of that; she had, in fact, taken advantage of that expression on dozens of other men over the past decade. She could, but she wouldn't. She was going to be a different and better person than she was.

"Neal, I appreciate your offer, but I can handle things myself."

"I-"

"I just don't want you getting the wrong idea, okay?"

"Wrong idea?" He folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head. "What idea would I get from offering to help you?"

"I don't know…" She nibbled on her lower lip before continuing. "That maybe I'd still want you in my life."

"What do you mean?" Neal stepped a bit closer, so she stepped a bit farther away. "I'm here, Emma. I'm not going anywhere."

"This time," she said, unable to meet his gaze. "But that doesn't change what happened before."

"You give the Evil Queen a second chance, and a third, but you won't give me one?" He chuckled, but there was no mirth in his voice. "I'm not asking to date you, Em. I'm just asking to make things up to you. I want to help. I want to redeem myself. I want you to be happy, alright, and I don't care if that's with me."

"What?"

"Okay, so it'd be nice if that's with me, but I know I'm in no position to ask for something like that. I sacrificed so much to get back to you and Henry. I won't let you just push me aside now. I deserve at least five minutes of your time."

"That's what you're getting," she snapped. "You can't have forgotten what I told you in that cave of secrets."

Although he had been leaning towards her, her words made him recoil. "I can't forget that, Emma. But that was my wake up call. Until then, I had no idea how bad things were-"

"Tell me one thing." She finally met his gaze and held it. "Why did you leave?"

"I-"

"And no bullshit, okay? I'll be able to tell." She swallowed hard and waited.

"There was a man who knew who I really was. He told me that I needed to let you go."

"But why did you listen?"

"He knew who I was. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about."

"A stranger approaches you out of nowhere and tells you to abandon me. And you do it without a second thought."

"I thought about it more than twice." He tried to look wounded. "It haunted me every day."

"But not enough to look me up and explain yourself?" She realized then that there was a great deal of hurt still buried inside her. She clenched her fists against her thighs and shook her head. He sputtered through several half-answers before she lifted her hand. "Neal, what did you want to talk about today? We don't have enough time in three lifetimes to talk through the past."

His cheeks flooded with color, although she wasn't sure if the reaction was from shame or fury. Given his parentage, she wouldn't be surprised if she had made him angry by treating him flippantly. Rather than explode at her, he simply let out a gust of air. With a sad shrug of his shoulders, he said, "I wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a week since I really last saw you."

"I'm doing well." They were very close to the diner, but Emma made no movement to enter the establishment. She wasn't going to run from her problems, but she wasn't going to sit down with them and have coffee, either.

"Your mom says you've been spending a lot of time with Regina."

"Yeah." Emma made a note to tell Snow to stop meddling in her life. The other woman had the best intentions but didn't understand the situation as it truly was. She was happy building something with Regina, no matter how uncomfortable that made Snow, and she had no interest in going back to Neal. "She's a pretty good girlfriend."

He stared blankly at her for a moment. "Uh."

"I think I've finally found someone who values me, y'know?"

"I valued you."

Not enough to keep her. Henry's comments were still fresh in her mind, so instead of arguing with him, she lifted a hand and headed toward Snow's apartment where she would hopefully have some peace and quiet to process. He took a half step in her direction but thankfully gave up. That was where her luck ran out, however. She entered the apartment and came face to face with Snow's cheerful face. Five minutes, she thought; that's all she wanted.

She forced a smile onto her lips and tried to edge past, but Snow stepped in front of her.

"I want to apologize," Snow stated as she set her hands on Emma's shoulders. She guided Emma to the couch. "I know I've been acting like a--a not-so-good person lately."

"You've been a monster," Emma replied with a short, tense laugh. She wasn't sure where this conversation was going, and that made her uneasy. "But one of those sorta cute monsters? One where you don't think it's a monster until it opens its mouth, and you see its hundreds of rows of teeth."

Snow gently slapped her shoulder. "I'm trying to apologize, Em, and you're trying to make me feel worse."

"Sorry."

"You're my daughter, Emma, Sometimes I forget that you're fully grown. You grew up while we were frozen here, and we missed everything. I want so badly for us to have what we should have had, but I… I think we can move forward with what we actually do have. I've always followed my heart, Emma, for better or worse, and I'm trying to be better. I'm trying to think as much as I feel. Can you give me that chance? I won't be perfect, but I want to be there."

Intent on improving herself as well, Emma remained seated. She nodded noncommittally and said, "I just need space sometimes. I need my own place."

"I spoke with Ruby earlier. She has a two bedroom apartment. The second bedroom has been a storage room until now, but I asked her to clear it out. You can move in with her for now, if you want, at least until something better comes along."

"You're not just doing this so you can keep an eye on me?"

Snow placed a hand over her heart as her forehead creased. "Emma, I would never. I hadn't even thought about-"

"Snow, you asked your best friend to let me stay with her. That's like the smallest step away from living here that could possibly occur. She can tell you about what I'm doing, and she probably would if you asked her to. There's no way you didn't think about that."

"Okay," Snow admitted. "The thought crossed my mind. I didn't mean to lie; I just didn't want you to pass up this opportunity because you thought that's what I was doing. It's not, by the way. I just… I want to help you, Emma. I love you. You're my daughter. I'd do anything to meet your needs."

"I know." Emma leaned back and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry about jumping down your throat. I've just had a bit of a... well, an interesting day."

"Do you want to talk about it? I know things between us are different now, but--"

"Henry said something earlier that kinda really hurt. He told me that I'm the one who messes things up, and I get it… I put him up for adoption. I saw it as his best chance, but I know he sees it as me not wanting him. In his eyes, I messed up our potential life together. Before I had him, I spent my entire life wondering why I wasn't good enough. Foster families wouldn't keep me, and Neal left me in prison.

"When enough people walk away, you stop getting angry at them and understand you're the damn common denominator. There's nothing wrong with the people who left me. They just realized the same thing that everyone else realized before. I'm not worth it, or I messed everything up. Those are the two explanations that make the most sense. When I had him, I didn't want to mess that up, too, so I sent him away before I could."

Snow frowned and moved closer to Emma. "There's nothing wrong with you, Emma."

"Really?" Emma wiped at her eyes, despite the fact that no tears had fallen yet. "Because you left me, too."

Intent on actually making this work, Snow nodded. "I made a terrible decision, Emma. I gave you up to save myself in the hopes that we could be a family again someday. I invested in a potential future, and I know now that I made the right, albeit awful, choice."

"Invested, huh?" Emma allowed herself a watery chuckle. "Like my life is some sort of bank loan."

Snow shrugged, refusing to break their physical connection. "I didn't know that so much interest would accrue over the years we spent waiting here for your arrival."

After a moment of processing, Emma stared at Snow as comprehension filled her gaze. She stood quickly, kissed Snow's cheek, and headed for the stairs. "Snow, you might have just given me the best hint in solving the mystery of Pizza Parlor."

"Glad I could help," Snow called after.

She heard Emma's door slam shut moments later and set about tidying the kitchen to keep her hands busy. That had gone well. At least, the conversation seemed to end on a somewhat positive note. One conversation wouldn't mend what had broken between them; she knew that. Still, Emma had confided in her, and she had responded well. They would never be as close as they had once been, but she felt better about her new position in Emma's life.

She supposed that the next step was accepting Regina's status as Emma's partner. Distrust filled her, so she reminded herself that she was allowed to take baby steps.


	40. Chapter 40

Emma threw herself onto her bed, pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, and willed herself to think. The facts as she knew them were that Fagin had been in some sort of financial trouble, there was some miracle wherein Fagin was rescued, and now, Fagin was once again in some sort of financial trouble. Something in Fagin's circumstances had changed, and the biggest thing Emma could think of was the wishes. Still, only children could make wishes that came true, and she didn't know of any child who would wish for a pizza place to be in any sort of dire straits.

The other change, she considered, was the curse breaking.

The first turn around had been before the curse had ended-–she couldn't remember if the Daily Mirror article had been dated, but Sidney Glass hadn't been seen in months. At the beginning, Pizza Parlor had been in ruin. She pressed down harder on her eyes to sharpen her concentration. Her memory of the article was hazy, as reading it had been a pain in the butt. If what she remembered was accurate, someone or something had saved Pizza Parlor from closing. Because time had been repeating for nearly thirty years, she expected the original rescue had occurred at the start of the curse as well. If the hunch provided by Snow was true, then that meant that Fagin had received a loan with which he transformed his business from nearly bankrupt to almost successful.

Albert Spencer seemed like a man of unlimited means; he had been a king in the Forest, which meant he was used to playing god and dispensing justice as he saw fit. If he had loaned Fagin money, he would likely want repayment. That repayment probably came with twenty eight years of interest. No wonder Fagin was acting so shifty. Emma dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She needed some form of verification, and Fagin would no doubt spill easier than Spencer.

Emma waited patiently as the phone rang three times. Just before her call went to voicemail, she heard a click, a short gasp of breath, and then silence. Curious, she cleared her throat and issued a brief greeting. After a moment, the person on the other end sighed.

"Who is this? Who are you working for?"

"Is this Pizza Parlor?"

Another few seconds of silence elapsed. "Yeah. Sorry. Pizza Parlor. Delivery or pick-up?"

"Are you okay?"

"Do you need a pizza?"

"Mr. Fagin, this is Sheriff Swan." Emma waited to see if he would ask for her help without prompting, but he seemed nervous and reticent. "This is Mr. Fagin, correct?"

"Yeah. Did you find out who broke into my business?"

"I have reason to believe the intruder was Albert Spencer," she lied. "I've recently discovered documents alleging that he loaned you an unspecified amount of money at the beginning of the curse and that now he's attempting to collect not only on the loan, but three decade's worth of interest."

"What documents?" Fagin's voice trembled. "He can't know you know."

"He doesn't know yet," she hurried to assure him. "When I spoke to him-"

"You spoke to him?!" Fagin squawked wordlessly until Emma cut back in.

"During the course of my investigation, yes, I spoke with him."

"He's gonna kill me."

"We can protect you-"

"You've done enough."

Before Emma could reply, Fagin ended the call. Tossing the phone aside, Emma closed her eyes and tried to think of what to do next. She hadn't meant to startle Fagin, although he seemed constantly in a state of alarm, so pushing him beyond that hadn't needed much. She rubbed a hand over her forehead. As long as he didn't do anything foolish until she figured out what came next, things would likely be okay. Hopefully.

Deciding that for the time being she could do nothing, Emma reached for her phone once more. Although the time was only six or so in the evening, she determined that bedtime was nearing, and she ought to call Regina. This had nothing to do with a niggling need to hear Regina's voice and get Regina's opinion, she told herself. She snorted and gave in; this was totally her weakness for the brunette, and she was no longer ashamed. Regina had been on her favorites list even before they started seeing one another, which just made calling the other woman that much quicker.

"You're a little early."

"What can I say? I'm a little into you." Emma flushed, suddenly glad that Regina couldn't see her face. "How's your night going?"

"Well enough, although the dog hasn't stopped hounding me for attention since you left."

"I promise I'm looking for a place, and then you won't be bothered by him." Emma sat up and glanced around her room. She didn't have very many belongings, so she wasn't sure how she would fill an apartment by herself. The place she had in Boston had been pre-furnished when she moved in. The bed she was currently on belonged to Snow. She'd have a good number of purchases to make when she did move out.

"I'm not bothered by him. I find his attention…" Regina cleared her throat. "Having something so interested in my affection is pleasing."

"I'm interested in your affection."

"Thankfully, you are not as persistent or cloying. At this very moment, he's sitting on my shins and licking my feet."

"I'm jealous he gets to sleep with you tonight."

"He sleeps in his crate. Also, Ms. Swan, are you jealous of a tiny animal?"

Cheeks ruddy, Emma laughed. "A little. He gets to spend so much time with you."

"Because he is an animal with no cares or responsibilities."

"Sounds nice to me."

"He also empties his bowels onto my carpets when Henry forgets to take him outside. He's completely dependent on humans to satisfy his needs, and he gets dragged around on a leash. Sound like a lifestyle you're into?"

For a moment, Emma pictured herself wearing a collar with Regina holding her leash. She swallowed hard and shook the image from her mind. "I think I could get behind someone looking after all my needs. Like, I'd totally dig you feeding me grapes while I lounged and looked savior-y."

"You're delusional, Emma."

"Probably, but there's no law against daydreams. And before you say anything, I'm sure writing laws is within your mayoral powers, but I beg you to reconsider your upcoming ban on the practice."

Regina snorted. "How do you get anything done with such wild flights of fancy?"

"Sometimes my delusions merge with my reality. Hell, I'm still pretty certain that having you in my life is unreal, so every time we're together, I pinch myself to make sure I'm awake."

"Do you really?"

"No, but wouldn't that be romantic?"

"I'd honestly be worried about your grasp on your sanity," Regina said dryly. "Still, the gesture is not lost on me. You win a few romance points."

"How many am I up to?"

"Not nearly enough to win the grand prize."

"I've already won that." Emma felt her cheeks burn hotter. "You, I mean. Not that, uh, you're a prize to be won, or whatever… Just it feels like to me that I can't do any better ever. It's sorta like I'm Robin Hood, and I just shot the winning bull's eye in the archery competition. My prize is a kiss from the beautiful woman, but I'm not winning the woman-"

"Hush."

Emma let her jaw snap shut with a click. She massaged her temples with one hand and flopped back against her pillow. "I spoke with Fagin just before I called you. The guy gets shiftier and shiftier every day. I think I've figured out at least one aspect of the mystery, though. My bet is that Spencer loaned Fagin some money back in the day and now wants to collect the whole thing, interest from thirty years included."

"I overheard my secretary discussing something similar," Regina mused. "Although that conversation seemed more about how lucky a friend was that a creditor wasn't looking to do such. I would guess that such behavior would be frowned on, which is why nobody is doing it."

"Leave it to Spencer to stoop that low, huh?"

"He was not the most savory of characters in the Enchanted Forest, and I'm afraid his sour demeanor and nasty tendencies have followed him here. He may try to look like a man of the people, but he has been and always will be a man of and for himself."

"Seems like that's how a lot of people in power were."

"Is that how you see me?"

"Regina, I met you after you adopted Henry. I don't think there was anything you wouldn't do for the kid. You're a woman who lives to protect her child. I can tell how much family means to you. It means a lot to me, too, even if I don't really show it that often." Emma hesitated. "About earlier-"

"Emma, we all have wounds," Regina interrupted. "Some physical, but most emotional. Sometimes words that are meaningless to one have the potential to rip open the wound of another. While I may not understand your wound right now, I am not going to punish you for protecting yourself and doing what was necessary to feel better in that moment. I just hope that in the future you will let me in before you run away."

"I can't make any promises, except that I'll try." That felt to Emma like their catch phrase. While her parents would always find each other, she knew that she and Regina would always work together on improving. She hugged the phone closer to her ear and tried to pretend she was in bed with Regina, rather than by herself. "I've never felt good enough…"

"Elaborate."

"Well, I know now that my parents shoved me through a portal to save the town, and it had nothing to do with how much or how little they loved me, but all I knew when I was a kid was that I'd been abandoned the day I was born. The first foster home I really remember kept me a long time. I thought that they were really my parents and that they cared for me, but they got pregnant. I just couldn't compete with a kid that was all theirs. That was the second time I knew that I wasn't good enough.

"Since then it's been family after family. And friend after friend, too. So many of them said they'd write or keep in touch, but do you know how many did?" Emma kept her voice steady; she'd thought through this hundreds of times, but this was the first that she'd tried to vocalize it succinctly to someone who truly mattered. "None of them. I wasn't a good enough daughter. I wasn't a good enough friend. After I got my GED, I applied to college, but I didn't do too well in school because of how often I moved. And the dyslexia didn't help either. 

"I try to tell myself that I am good enough. I mean, you can't make it as long as I have without fighting back. But even now, I'm always asking: What's next? What'll I lose this time? What am I actually good enough for?"

"Me."

For a few moments, Emma sat in floored silence. She whispered, "I am?"

"You an imperfect person, Emma, but so am I. We are different–-from our backgrounds, to our politics, and everything in between. We're not a puzzle that easily fits together, perhaps, but I think that our broken pieces can be mended into a mosaic. We combine into something brand new and whole."

"I want this to work. I want to be part of your mosaic."

"It's our mosaic."

"Yeah. Ours. If that means learning to deal with my shit, then I'm gonna do it. For you, yeah, and for Henry, but mostly for me. Being with you has shown me that I can be happy. I want that all the time, not just sometimes."

"I want you to be happy as well." Regina laughed uneasily. "Other than Henry, I can honestly say that I haven't wished for the happiness of another person over my own in many, many years. You have learned that you can be happy, and I've learned that my heart still has the capacity to care. My heart is dark, but I think it's getting clearer and clearer every day."

"We're just two lost souls guiding each other toward the light, I guess."

"Your metaphor doesn't quite make sense."

"Get used to it," Emma replied. "Things in my head tend to get jumbled."

"I'm well aware."

"Do you have lunch plans tomorrow?"

"I'm meeting with Belle once more. I believe she has an update on Rumple's research."

"Ah… Well, maybe we can still get coffee or something to talk about what you learned?"

"I'll text you once I know more."

Emma felt a lump building in her throat. "You're not... Maybe I'm stupid, but it feels like you're pulling away. And I'm totally stupid, but it's just with today and what we just talked about-–"

"Emma, I meant it when I said you were good enough for me. I simply don't know my schedule right now, nor how long my meeting with Belle will take. I would ordinarily love to have lunch or coffee with you. I just don't know when."

"Oh. Okay. Good. You'll tell me, right? If I start annoying you? You won't just disappear?"

"I promise."


	41. Chapter 41

Regina lifted a warm shirt from the pile of laundry and held the garment close to her nose. Even through the strong scent of detergent and drier sheets, Emma's scent clung to the cloth. She wasn't entirely sure how something of Emma's had wound up in her laundry, but she couldn't complain. Emma was working hard on keeping the town safe, so Regina didn't mind washing a shirt or two if need be. If anything, the sight of Emma's shirt amid her own belongings was comforting, as if their relationship was cemented. She let herself imagine, just for a moment, that Emma's laundry was totally mixed in with her own, and a smile took over her lips.

The implication of her fancying that Emma lived with her made her both giddy and frightened. Her smile wobbled, but she strove to capture the heady excitement, rather than to drown under the what-ifs. The Charmings were contagious, she thought with a roll of her eyes. She folded Emma's shirt and set it next to the pile of her own neatly folded blouses. A moment later, she moved the shirt onto her blouses and decided that perhaps Emma didn't need that shirt back immediately. The shirt's material was soft, and the garment would make a nice pajama top. Emma owed her; after all, the blonde stole her pillow case. Fair was fair.

Once everything was folded, she scooped up Henry's clean clothing and trekked to his room, pausing only to rap on the bathroom door and remind him that he'd been in the shower for twenty minutes. She had a surplus of hot water, and she wasn't perturbed by her bills, but she didn't want him to be late for school. She entered his room, set his clothing on his bed, and turned. She glanced at his bookcase for a moment and narrowed her eyes.

There was dust, she noted, in certain areas of the bookcase, but not others. One book in particular seemed to be her son's favorite. Curious as to why Henry was using the dictionary so much, she approached, slide her finger along the spine of each book, and tugged on the massive lexicon. Flipping through the pages, she noticed a lump somewhere in the middle.

Just as she opened the pages and discovered the magazine hidden within their depths, Henry entered his room, a towel around his waist and soggy hair plastered to his temples. He was grinning, but the expression vaporized the moment he saw what she was holding. He scrambled forward and tried to tug the tome from her hands.

"Mom! What are you doing in my room!?"

She let him take the book but used a spurt of magic to keep the pornographic magazine dangling between them. "I was putting your laundry away when I began to wonder what you were doing with the dictionary so often that dust had accumulated everywhere else but in front of it."

He flushed bright red and glowered at her. "You're totally invading my privacy!"

"Where did you get this?"

He tried to snatch the magazine out of the air, but her magic held it tight. "I'm just holding it for a friend."

She glanced at the title. "And which friend of yours is reading Busty Asian Beauties?"

"I'm not going to rat him out." He wanted to melt into the floor. He tugged again to no avail. "I'll get rid of it, okay?"

"I do not want this in my home, Henry. Do you understand why?"

"Yeah."

"Why is that?"

He dropped his hand to his sides. "I didn't even read it. I took it so that the guys wouldn't make fun of me."

"Why is this inappropriate, Henry?"

He pointed toward the door and scowled. "Can't I at least get dressed? God, you're embarrassing."

"Henry." With a flick of her fingers, she opened the magazine to its centerfold. He averted his gaze, but she maneuvered the magazine so that it was hanging directly in front of him. "She's pretty, is she not?"

"Well, yeah…"

Regina took a moment to catch her breath. She understood that she was reacting very strongly and that Henry wouldn't understand, but she felt somewhat akin to the women on those pages. She had all but been sold to Henry's great-grandfather simply because she was pretty. She had been something shiny to sit by his side–-something new and nubile for him to use to fulfill his needs when they arose. Although she didn't know the circumstances of those busty Asian beauties, she thought that most of the people who bought the magazine were objectifying those depicted.

"Henry, you do know that women are people, too, right?"

He pushed the magazine away from his face, frustration lacing his tone. "Of course, Mom. Geez. I'm not an idiot, okay? So yeah, I have a magazine in my room. What teenage boy doesn't? You're making this into a way bigger deal than it needs to be. Can you just get out now? I already promised I'd get rid of it."

"Henry…"

"I get it, okay? Porn bad. Please," he begged. "Just let me get ready for school."

She wanted to explain to him, but the words lodged in her throat. As she crossed to the door, she glanced back at him and frowned. "We'll talk more about this after school."

"Mm."

"Do you understand?"

Still shamed, he jerked his head up and down stiffly and replied, "Yeah, yeah."

Regina headed downstairs, head abuzz with all her thoughts and worries. She hadn't meant to get quite so upset with Henry as she did understand he was a boy on the verge of manhood. He was no doubt attempting to come to terms with his desires and burgeoning sexuality, a thought which made her cringe. Although she was gradually accepting his desire to date, she couldn't fathom her baby boy having a sexual side. Not until he was thirty, at least. If nothing else, she would have Emma give Henry a serious talking to. The blonde was more familiar with this realm's contraception and sexual education anyway.

She crouched near Bolt's crate and stuck her fingers in; Bolt lapped at them cheerfully and wagged his tail. He whined quietly until she released him from his prison. Once free, he sprinted to the backdoor and pawed at it. Regina grabbed his leash, attached it to his collar, and led him into the backyard. Watching him root around the grass brought a small smile to her lips.

"Life changes so quickly," she confided in him. Talking to him was easier than talking to anyone else, save Ms. Swan. "Sometimes I feel too rooted in the past to keep up with the present. How can I move forward when I can't let it go?"

He yipped and dove after a squirrel. She yanked him back and sighed... She ought to learn from him: he lived in the present more perfectly than she could ever hope to. She bent down and rubbed his ears. When she straightened once more, she heard the front door slamming. Bolt heard, too, and sprinted toward the front yard. Startled by the sudden noise, she dropped the leash. Without pause, Bolt bolted away, his red leash waving in the wind behind him.

Regina ran after him but stopped short as she watched him disappear around the corner. She wasn't going to be able to catch him, she deduced, so she pulled out her cell phone, dialed Emma's number and waited. She had to admit that she was excited by the prospect of speaking with the blonde.

"Good morning."

She could tell by Emma's tone that Emma was smiling. "Good morning, Emma. I hate to bother you so early-"

"You're not bothering me." Emma yawned. "What's up? Not that I mind a random call about nothing, if that's your purpose."

"Bolt got loose."

"You know my track record as dog catcher, Regina."

Regina chuckled. "I think you'll have better luck with this one than the other. This dog knows and loves you. I'd go myself if I didn't have my meeting with Belle."

"That's fine. It'll give me an excuse to see you later."

"You don't need an excuse. Speaking of that, though, I was hoping you could have a conversation with Henry." Regina walked back to the house. She headed for the kitchen and set about preparing a cup of coffee for herself. "I found a pornographic magazine in his room this morning…"

"I mean, it's getting to that time in his life."

"I know. I just… I had hoped for a few more years." Regina inhaled the heady scent of the coffee and felt relaxation filter through her. "Will you speak with him?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Much of my research during his childhood suggested that there was a Talk you give to children as they reach adolescence?"

Emma snorted. "There's no singular talk, but I'll do my best. But first thing's first. I have to catch a dog."

"I appreciate your efforts."

"I'm your sheriff, Madam Mayor. I do what I can."

"And how did my Sheriff sleep last night?"

"I slept pretty well…" Emma trailed off for a moment before continuing, "But I had a really weird nightmare. Sorta set me off to a weird start today. I feel weird. Like you know how sometimes dogs act weird before a storm? That's how I feel right now. Like something bad is about to happen."

"You may have magic, Emma, but this is the first I've heard of your prophetic talents."

"Like I said, it was just a bad dream that transferred over into when I woke up. You ever get that?"

Regina considered the question for a long moment. Deciding to trust Emma with one of her more private secrets, she murmured, "More often than I care to admit, although I tend to have dreams more beautiful than my waking reality, and I tend to wake up sadder."

"I know what you mean. That happened to me a lot when I was locked up. Sometimes life is so shitty that you'd rather be asleep. I hope… Well, I hope that maybe I can help make things a little better, so you don't have to feel bad about waking up."

Regina swallowed the last few drops of her drink and set her mug aside. "You have indeed brightened my life, much in the same way as Henry did. But-"

"But I'm not a cure," Emma finished. "I get that."

"I'm seeing Archie once a week." Regina stood silently for a moment before straightening her shoulders and standing taller. "I want you to know that I'm working on myself."

"I'm not seeing Archie, but I'm trying, too. We're just gonna pull each other through this, huh? For better or worse."

"You make this sound like a marriage."

"Maybe not that extreme, but I'm taking this seriously."

Regina checked her watch and grimaced; she had an hour or so to shower and prep herself for the day before her meeting with Belle was to start. As much as she enjoyed speaking with Emma, she just didn't have more time to spare at the moment.

"Go catch Bolt, Emma," she said, "and we'll talk more about this later. I'm not disappearing on you. I just have to go."

"I know," Emma replied. "I'll get the dog. Don't worry about that, okay?"

"It's not like I care if he's missing," Regina lied. She switched the phone to her other ear as she rinsed her mug in the sink, washed it with a rag, and placed it in the drying rack. "He's a bothersome creature, always requiring attention and love."

"I can be like that sometimes."

"Yes." Regina hesitated before adding, "But your saving grace is what I feel for you."

"You're a real romantic when you want to be."

"I try." Regina smiled. She had more to do but couldn't bring herself to end the call.

"I feel like we're in high school, and we're waiting to see who the first one to hang up will be."

They could be at this all day. She had to be the adult. "Good bye for now, Emma."

After Emma bid her adieu as well, Regina ended the call. She supposed that she did feel a bit like her youthful self. She was certainly acting like she had with Daniel. What she had with Emma was much more real, however, and she knew that this time around, she had a shot at maintaining her family. Her love, if she dared call Emma that, was under no person's sway, command, or control. There was no chance this time around that her mother could ruin anything.

At last, she was going to be happy.


	42. Chapter 42

Regina neatened her appearance once more before heading for her car. There was no sign of Emma or Bolt yet, but she hoped Emma was experiencing some modicum of success. At the very least, she wished that the little dog wasn't darting in and out of traffic, getting hurt in some fashion, or causing trouble for some unsuspecting resident. There was enough going on in Storybrooke without her dog inciting mischief, or whatever it was that wished-into-existence creatures did with their time.

She trawled down the street with the windows rolled down. Although the air was a bit chilly, she wanted to bask in the sunlight for a bit. Optimism, however treacherous, was hard to shake; she knew past experience suggested that her happiness wouldn't remain, but she wanted to extend the feeling as long as possible. She nodded pleasantly at Archie as he walked Pongo by. Surprised, he lifted a hand in greeting and smiled at her.

Perhaps her days of morose misery were indeed over. As she pulled to the curb in front of Granny's, she resolved to live more positively. She got out of her car, shut the door, and then spotted Belle through the diner's large front window. Her smirk withered on spotting the man sitting with the bookish woman. He would find a way to wound her. He always did. There went her optimism. Gritting her teeth, she mentally prepared herself for a verbal battle with the only other person in town who was perhaps her magical equal.

"I didn't know he was coming," she stated stiffly as she approached the booth.

Belle gestured for her to sit. "I figured he would be able to communicate more clearly. I've done the research, but he understands the craft. He's promised to be on his best behavior."

Although Regina distrusted Gold and realized that his definition of playing nice was vastly different than her expectations, she took a seat. She needed to know about the situation more than she disliked and mistrusted Gold. When Ruby approached, she ordered a cup of coffee and then sat silently, waiting for Belle to begin her explanation.

"First of all," Gold said. "We need to discuss what you're willing to give up for this information."

"I'm not making a deal with you."

"The deal is not with me."

"It's with me," Belle cut in.

Regina glanced at Gold's face and appreciated the sour look on his features. She nodded stiffly. "What do you want?"

"Peace. All I want is for you two to get along. You've spent too long at odds, and I'm afraid there will be nothing but war between you until there's a reason to forgive and forget."

Regina gritted her teeth. "I am capable of forgiving, but I don't believe I'll forget."

Gold tittered. "Then you won't get access to what you most desire to know."

Belle sighed and set a hand on his forearm. "Behavior."

He settled back against his seat. "Very well. This is your show, dearie."

"Can you agree to coexist? Both of you?" Regina nodded, and Gold harrumphed but assented. "Then what we've discovered actually started back before you left for Neverland."

"If you recall, I gave Belle a spell as we were boarding the Jolly Roger," Gold supplied. "The spell, once activated, cast a fresh barrier around Storybrooke – a seal, if you will, that kept all persons inside in and all persons outside out. Furthermore, the spell made Storybrooke invisible once again, and no person outside of Storybrooke would know of the town's location."

"But we returned." Regina's brow furrowed. "Your spell sounds like a complete cloaking, so how did we get back in?"

"My connection with Belle allowed us to plot a course," Gold explained. When he smiled at Belle, his expression softened to something almost human. Regina wanted to vomit. "When we reentered town, though, we had to make our way through that spell. The barrier shattered and released ambient magic into the air."

"Ambient magic?"

Belle answered, "There are several sorts of magic, Regina. There's magic that comes from innate talent, like Emma's. There's magic that comes from objects, like Rumple's. And then there's natural magic in everything around us. There are very few proficient users, at least according to my research."

"Any living?"

"You."

"Me?"

Gold huffed. "You had no natural talent when I began to teach you, yet you conjured fireballs and kept up with my lessons. I thought this was due to the spells you inhaled from your mother's book. However, I neglected to ever follow up on why you were able to continue practicing even after the effects of the book should have worn off. In this world, you likely used the book once more to jump start your connection to the meager ambient magic available."

Regina hesitated before nodding. "I did."

"Regardless, the barrier broke, and the magic infiltrated Storybrooke. Going from almost no magic to too much magic caused a radical shift in things." Belle paused as Ruby served them coffee. She smiled at the waitress; Ruby flushed and nearly spilled the drinks. "At this point, we're conjecturing as we have no definite proof. Our theory is that this magic is enabling the children in town to make wishes that come true."

"The magic is dying for a purpose, and so has begun to act to relieve the build-up."

"Let me guess…" Regina leaned forward and drew a fingertip around the outside edge of her cup. "You tried to use this magic for your own purposes and were sadly disappointed?"

Gold's smirk faded. "That would be a correct assumption. This magic is not for me or most anyone in this town."

"Except the children."

"And you," he affirmed.

"Then how come I wasn't able to make a wish come true?"

"You tried making one?" Belle fished a notebook out of her bag. After opening to a blank page, she began to make small notations. "When? And what was the result?"

"It was sometime last week, and nothing occurred."

"Did you truly want your wish to come true? Or was it an arbitrary wish to test if wishes could only be made by children?"

"I wished for fresh flowers because Ms. Swan told me to try wishing for something. I did need new flowers but… I suppose, no, I didn't truly want my wish to come true, and I didn't believe it would." Regina evaluated what this could imply and followed up with, "Do you think a wish of mine might have worked if I wanted it badly enough?"

"That's definitely a possibility."

Regina's stomach clenched unpleasantly. She had wanted Emma's insomnia fairly badly for a time. She had wished for that, and now she was once again certain she had induced the relationship through magic and unfair means. Although she badly wanted to flee and think by herself, she remained in place in order to collect more information.

"I see."

"Relax, dearie," Gold put in. He looked upset at having to make this revelation, but Belle squeezed his hand encouragingly. "No matter the type or intensity, magic cannot be used to force love. Whatever you are experiencing with the savior is real, I assure you."

"Why should I trust you?"

"While I am not particularly invested in your happiness, I would hate to see Belle's in any sort of danger." His lip curled up into a mild snarl. "Which means I must and will play nice."

"I never would have thought the Dark One would allow himself to be collared."

Gold lifted a hand and twisted his fingers. "You know as well as I the effects of love on a dark heart."

Antagonizing him was too easy, and as she had agreed to peace, Regina simply shrugged. "I suppose I cannot deny that."

"Anyway," Belle cut in smoothly and redirected their conversation. "The fact remains that we don't know exactly how much magic is left."

"How much was originally released?"

"We don't know."

"The spell originally contained a large amount, but we don't know if the whole thing has shattered, or simply our entry way. I believe it's just the hole, as there have been no newcomers as of late. If that's the case, then there may only be a bit left, depending on how many wishes have occurred."

"We've managed to keep things fairly quiet. I know there were a few occurrences at the high school, but I haven't been able to confirm yet." Regina checked her watch. "I can call the principal later this afternoon, if you think finding out how many wishes have occurred is pertinent."

"Checking won't hurt." Belle finished up her notes and shut the small book. "That's what we know right now. I thought you and Rumple could discuss more about what to do about it."

"Is having the magic present dangerous?"

"Until someone wishes for a laser or a guillotine, no." Gold shrugged. "I have always preferred knowing that power was in the hands of those capable of wielding it."

"Like yourself?"

"Of course."

"What were you going to use it for? Don't you have everything you want? Your son is home, and Belle is with you. What more could you desire?"

"Am I not allowed to wish to better the lives of my family?"

"You are," Regina answered doubtfully. "That's just not what I would expect of you."

"People are capable of change. Or are you still hell bent on ruining Snow White's precious, perfect life?"

"Of course not."

"He was trying to use the magic to give Baelfire a second chance." Belle shot Gold a sad smile. "I think, however, that we can have our second chance now. Things are better when you have to work for them, and a wish would have fixed things too nicely."

Regina thought about her relationship with Emma and smirked. "There's a lot of truth in that. With regard to the magic, is there any way to perhaps burn it out of the atmosphere?"

"We need to use it somehow. Its presence is lighting up a giant signal flare to those of this world who are hunting for magic. If we cracked a hole, it's possible that others could do the same. I can recast a barrier spell, but if we don't get rid of the magic, then people will still come looking."

"And I'm the only one with any talent in ambient magic." Regina mused for a long moment. "Then I'll just have to find a way to use every last drop."

"Exactly."

Gold sniffed, still a bit miffed that he couldn't access the magic himself. "Once the magic is gone, performing spells and the like will be difficult again."

"That's better, as this town has enough drama and problems without people casting curses every few days." Regina finished her coffee and stood. "Thank you for the information. I'm going to speak with Ms. Swan about what step to take next."

"We'll keep looking and see if we can't dig up anything else that's useful," Belle promised.

Regina lifted a hand in lieu of actually saying good bye and walked from the diner, her head spinning with possibilities.

0-0-0

Emma sprinted down the street, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. While Bolt wasn't as wily as her previous targets, he was much faster. On top of that, he seemed to be on some sort of mission. She had fallen over a number of times, and her knees were beginning to ache. Still, she wanted to impress Regina, so she kept dogging after their pup.

Luck befell her when he screeched to a halt and began frantically barking at a car. She swooped down over him, wrangled him into her grasp, and beamed down at his struggling body. In an attempt to calm him down, she rubbed his ears as best she could and murmured to him. Unsure of what was causing this intense reaction, she glanced around. The only oddity was the cruising black sedan. She stared at the vehicle, stomach churning unpleasantly. Given that her gut reactions usually correlated with reality, she bet something wasn't right.

Her mouth moved quickly as she muttered the sedan's license plate under her breath. Although this was just a hunch, she would check into things when she got back to the station. If nothing was amiss, she would have caused no harm, but if something were indeed terribly wrong, as her roiling stomach implied, then she was preparing herself.

As soon as the car pulled around the nearest corner, Emma's phone buzzed in her pocket. Fighting the wiggling dog, she dug it out and clutched it to her ear.

"Sheriff Swan."

"Emma? Are you okay?"

Emma sighed and smiled. "Just a bit out of breath. I caught the dog."

"My hero," Regina purred. "My meeting is over. Would you like to come over and return Bolt?"

Regina could have suggested dropping her into a pit of snakes, and Emma wouldn't have hesitated at all. She cuddled Bolt closer and said, "How soon can I come over?"


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: Sexual content in this chapter.

As Emma walked toward Mifflin, she kept her phone out and dialed David. After several rings, he answered, his voice somewhat breathless. She wondered just what he and Snow got up to on a weekday afternoon but ultimately determined she really didn't want to know. She wanted to move out so she never had to find out, either.

"Hey, Emma."

"David, I need a favor."

"Immediately?"

"As soon as you can get down to the station would be great, but I don't think there's a big rush on anything."

Relief filled his voice. "Ah, good. What can I do?"

"Bolt escaped earlier, so I tracked him down and caught him. The weird thing was that there was this car driving by. It gave me a bad feeling, and it's probably nothing, but-"

"Listen to your gut," he instructed.

"I try to, but sometimes, I'm not sure if I'm just hungry." She laughed. "For my peace of mind, I'd appreciate the back up on this."

"I'll get down there soon, I promise. I'm just, uh, fixing a plumbing problem."

She grimaced and shivered at the thought of his laying pipe. Bolt nearly bolted out of her arms, drawing her attention back to the moment. She thought a quick thank you at the dog before following up with David, "Just gimme a call when you find something out. I'm getting Bolt back home and then discussing the case with Regina."

"Do you have a new break?"

"I think Spencer loaned Fagin money and is now looking to collect."

"That would make sense since the letter you borrowed from Fagin's office supports that."

"It's nice knowing the answer, but now the problem is what to do about it."

"I couldn't tell you that, but I will tell you who that car belongs to."

"Thanks."

With Bolt trying to claw his way from her grasp, Emma decided to head to Regina's as quickly as possible in order to avoid losing him again. She sprinted the last few blocks and bounded up the path, anxious but excited. She had caught the dog, had figured out a piece of the mystery, and now deserved some praise, at least by her expectation. She straightened her clothing as best she could with a struggling hound in her arms and then rapped on the door. When Regina answered, she smiled widely and extended Bolt toward Regina.

"Caught the little monster."

"Thank you, Emma." Regina took Bolt, and Emma was pleased to spot a look of fondness cross Regina's features. "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure. If you've got time." Emma strolled in, hands jammed in her pockets and heart thudding against her rib cage. "Did your meeting go well?"

Regina shut the door calmly before setting Bolt on the ground and subsequently pressing Emma against the nearest wall. Her lips ghosted over Emma's throat. "Whatever is between us, there is no magic involved."

Emma shivered as Regina's tongue darted out to taste her skin. "I'd like to argue that there's definitely some magic being made right now…"

Regina pressed closer still and captured Emma's mouth in a brief, demanding kiss. Emma clutched at her arms and tried to follow as Regina pulled away. The brunette chuckled darkly, placed a finger against Emma's lips, and shook her head. In silence, she hugged Emma tightly and for several moments just enjoyed clinging to the other woman. This was real, and Emma was hers. This was totally of Emma's free will, which meant so much more to her than she realized previously. Being cleared of all doubts was like lifting a giant boulder from her shoulders. Grabbing Emma's hand, she led Emma toward the stairs.

"Come along, dear," she purred. She headed for the bedroom, dragging Emma as quickly as she could.

Emma ignored how Bolt nipped at her heels as she hurried to keep up with Regina. She carefully shut the door so that the dog was outside; she knew he was just a dog, but somehow him seeing what they were about to do would just chill how heated she felt in the moment. He scratched at the door, but she barely heard him as soon as Regina's hands were on her once more. The brunette gripped her hips and drew her forward to the bed.

"I am fairly fond of you, Ms. Swan," Regina murmured in her ear.

She snorted and grabbed the edge of Regina's blouse. As she tugged the garment over Regina's head, she replied, "That's a start."

Regina smirked before leaning in and sliding their lips together. Emma melted into the embrace, pleased that for once things were easy–-the problems in Storybrooke didn't seem insurmountable as long as she had Regina by her side. She slipped her hand around Regina's back and reveled in the warmth of Regina's skin. Her other hand traveled up Regina's stomach and came to rest atop one of Regina's bra-covered breasts. She squeezed gently, causing Regina's mouth to pop open in a small moue of pleasure. Taking advantage of this change, Emma chased Regina's tongue with her own.

While Emma was distracted by her mouth, Regina decided on the quickest route to getting them both naked. There would be time later for smooth and gentle; right now she just needed to verify how they felt about one another: that Emma wanted to be with her, and there were no strings attached. She tightened her hand into a fist, used a burst of magic, and pulled Emma's now-naked form against herself. The simple joy of their bare skin touching made Regina's legs weak.

Emma pushed her down onto the mattress, but she jerked Emma along and rolled smoothly so that she was straddling Emma's hips, her dark hair hanging like a curtain along her face. Emma reached up slowly and pushed the stray hairs behind Regina's ear.

"You're beautiful."

Regina caught her hand and pressed her lips to Emma's knuckles. "I need you. Now."

Getting the idea that this was not the time for soft and sweet, Emma slid her hand down Regina's stomach and pressed her fingers to Regina's clit. Regina moaned, prompting Emma to lean up and capture Regina's lips in a kiss. As her tongue once more resumed its place in Regina's mouth, her fingers dipped lower and inward, finding their place inside Regina as well. She was gratified to find Regina's entrance slick with desire and easily slid two fingers in.

Regina quivered lower, trying to urge Emma to begin thrusting, but Emma seemed intent on teasing her. Their eyes met, and Regina could see the tell-tale glimmer of mischief in the blonde's gaze. Willing her magic to work once more, she cast a spell silently to share what she was feeling with Emma; Emma's head fell back, breaking their kiss and allowing Emma to groan wholeheartedly. Shortly thereafter, Emma began to pump her fingers, and Regina let her eyes close and the feeling wash over her.

Her life now was so vastly different from before. She had a house, a family, and Emma. She wanted for nothing. As she rode Emma's fingers, she felt completely at peace for the first time in her life. When she opened her eyes once more, she found Emma staring intently up at her. She bent her head low and rejoined their mouths, glad that Emma was as present in the moment as she was.

Emma moved her fingers slowly, confused but incredibly pleased that she too could feel what was happening. She luxuriated in the sensation and soaked in Regina's small noises until her arm began to ache; as good as this felt, she knew she couldn't keep it up forever. Resolving to try, she broke the kiss and searched Regina's gaze.

"I think…" She cut herself off. Blurting out amorous feelings mid coitus was just a bad idea. Besides, she had to wonder if what she was feeling was actually love; if so, she wasn't even sure she was ready for such a thing. Love had never done much good for her life.

"You think?" Regina cupped her cheeks and drew her wandering gaze back. "You were here a moment ago. Where are you?"

Emma realized that she had slowed her pace and so began thrusting more quickly. The feeling wasn't quite the same anymore, however. She banished thoughts of love from her mind and kissed Regina again. "I think my arm's tired, and I'm a little hungry."

Regina snorted and pushed her shoulders until she was flat against the bed. She eased her fingers out and brushed them across her tongue before grabbed Regina's thighs and dragging the brunette up her body. With Regina's knees on either side of her head, she cocked her mouth up and took a first tentative lick. The earlier spell was still in effect; both women's legs tightened at the sensation of warm heat hitting their cores.

Although she generally had a disdain for expletives, Regina sighed out a long, raspy, "Fuck me."

Emma chuckled at the sound and flicked her tongue more firmly against Regina's clit. Her grasp on Regina's thighs tightened; she worried for a moment that she would leave bruises and then immediately decided that she didn't care. The thought of marking Regina was exciting, and she dug her nails in a bit more.

Regina sank lower; her entire body was practically vibrating from the ministrations of Emma's talented tongue. When she could take no more, she slammed her palms against the headboard, cried out, and tried not to fall over on top of Emma. Somehow still nimble, Emma extricated herself and helped Regina ease down to the bedspread. She curled against Emma's chest and waited patiently for her heart rate to slow. Emma's hand trailed down her spine and settled against the small of her back.

"I apologize-"

"For what?"

Regina shook her head and reached up to wipe a few beads of sweat from her brow. "I don't know what came over me. I just... I needed you."

"You're welcome to need me anytime."

"That's very gracious of you," Regina teased.

"The pleasure's all mine."

"That's very arguable, Ms. Swan."

Emma listened to the sounds of Bolt scratching at the bedroom door and sighed quietly. "That's the thing about you. You could out-argue a lawyer."

"Why do you think I'm a politician?" Now that she had caught her breath, her attention turned to Emma. "Would you like something this afternoon?"

Although the fingers trailing down her sternum were incredibly tantalizing, Emma had to decline. "Bolt's really worked up about something. We have all the time in the world, Regina. For now I just want to see what his problem is, y'know?"

Regina set their foreheads together and closed her eyes. "I am very glad this is real."

"And totally us," Emma agreed.

While Emma wandered about the room and clothed herself, Regina looked about for her cellphone. If Emma was going to attend to pressing matters, then she ought to as well. She dialed the high school, all the while watching a nude Emma traipse about the room. Emma bent down to pick up her undergarments; Regina bit her lip and hummed her approval.

"Hello?"

"I'd like to speak with Ms. Schumaker, if she's around."

"And who may I ask is calling?"

"Regina Mills." Regina hated that business was getting in the way of her enjoying Emma further, but she wasn't too distracted that she didn't hear the sharp gasp of the secretary. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm so sorry for your loss!" The woman sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

Regina's brow furrowed. "For what, dare I ask?"

"The accident… I'm so sorry," she repeated. "I don't know what I'd do if Hank died like that."

"What on earth are you blathering on about?"

"You can't not know. That's impossible because you-"

"Know what?" Regina didn't mind interrupting as the woman wasn't making any sense.

"Well… That Emma Swan was hit by a truck earlier this afternoon. It's all we can talk about here in the office. The hospital won't release news to any of us, as we aren't relatives, but we're all so worried. Maybe you could call, and then let us know?"

Regina watched as Emma pulled a t-shirt on. "Hit by a truck?"

"Yes. Earlier this morning. I'm surprised you haven't seen Henry. The middle school called over–-I'm so sorry we're gossiping like hens about this--and said that he was sent home."

If Regina had to hear the woman apologize once more, she was going to find a way to blast fire through the phone. "Nobody should be allowed to remove Henry from school without my express permission."

"The way I heard it, a man showed up saying you sent him. He had a signed form and everything. He said he was taking Henry to the hospital to be with you in this horrible time."

"What did this man look like?" Regina fought to keep her voice steady.

"He was an older man, but I don't know much else."

Regina threw the phone aside and sat trembling until Emma glanced over at her. "What's going on?"

"Someone took Henry."


	44. Chapter 44

"How?" Emma abandoned the shoe she had been tugging on and came to sit by Regina's side. "What's going on?"

"I called the high school, but apparently, they heard from the middle school that a man told them that you had been hit by a truck and that I requested he take Henry to meet me at the hospital. He had a note supposedly signed by me."

"That's not how schools are supposed to work." Emma clenched her hands into fists. "They don't just release kids to strangers!"

"Maybe in your world, Emma, but this is Storybrooke. Your rules don't apply here."

"Call the middle school and confirm. I'm going to call David and ask him to round up some search parties. This is a small town, after all, and they can't have gotten too far." Emma waited until Regina was on the phone once more before dialing David. "Dad, we may have a huge problem."

"What's up?"

"Someone took Henry."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Get Snow. Get whoever else you can on short notice. Organize a search. Keep me updated."

"I'll start right now."

On a whim, Emma asked, "Did you happen to run those plates?"

"Yeah. The car belongs to Albert Spencer."

The bad feeling returned to her belly. "Great, thanks. Regina and I are going to start trying to figure out who might have taken him. Maybe send someone over to Mifflin, so we'll know if Henry comes home on his own while Regina and I are out."

"Okay. We're going to find him. That's one thing our family is really good at: finding the people they love."

"I hope you're right," she replied. As she hung up, she resolved to keep a cool head even though all she wanted to do was panic. Regina would need her calm, however.

On the other side of the bed, Regina held her breath while the phone rang. There was still a chance that this was some sort of not-very-funny joke. Some townsfolk still resented her for casting the curse, and she accepted that. One of them deciding to mess with her head and heart wasn't an impossibility. Please, she thought, let this be a prank. She nibbled on her thumbnail until the secretary for Henry's middle school answered her call.

"Storybrooke Middle School. Please hold."

Before Regina could complain, she was listening to the nasally whine of computer generated classical music. She

"How may I direct your call?"

"This is Regina Mills. My son is-"

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"You ought to be."

"The high school called us back. Sheriff Swan is okay?"

"She's perfectly fine," Regina snapped. "That's not what you need to apologize for."

"What?"

"Did you release Henry into the custody of a man earlier this morning?"

"Let me check our records." There was a period of silence during which Regina wanted to scream and shake the secretary violently by the shoulders. This was the fate of her son, after all, and not a simple question as to the contents of the lunch room menu. "Ah, yes. At approximately nine this morning, Henry was excused from math class and brought to the main office. According to our records, his Uncle George had a signed permission slip from you allowing him to take Henry to the hospital…"

Regina waited while the secretary's brain caught up and then grimaced. "Henry has no Uncle George. I signed no permission slip. Sheriff Swan was never injured."

"But…"

"Who saw this Uncle George?"

"Jamie, I think. Do you want me to get him?"

"Yes." Regina gripped the phone tightly and fought to keep from crying.

She glanced over at Emma, who was deep in conversation with who she presumed was David. Although Emma had an even tone, Regina had learned to read the blonde's emotional state from pure body language. Emma's hunched shoulders, fidgeting fingers, and quivering lips told her more about how Emma was truly feeling than the laissez-faire manner with which she spoke. Emma, like herself, built up a strong façade so that no others could see how weak and small she truly felt.

She wondered if Emma would share with her, or if the blonde would keep her at a distance like everyone else.

"Hello?"

"Is this Jamie?"

"That would be correct."

She pushed her musing away and focused on the details she needed to know. "You released my son from school earlier today?"

"Yes."

"To whom?"

"He said he was Henry's Uncle George."

"Did Henry recognize him?"

"I don't know. His teacher told him about the accident and that someone was here to bring him to the hospital, so I don't think he was paying close attention to who it was. So maybe? Maybe not."

"Did you not think to call me to verify?"

"He had your signature on a note," Jamie replied. "That's usually enough."

"You imbeciles allowed my son to be kidnapped. There will be consequences."

"What?"

"You handed my child over to a stranger, and neither has been seen since. Your lax practices might lead to…" She swallowed hard. "You will tell me exactly what you remember about this Uncle George."

"We never meant-"

"I don't care."

"Uh… He was a bigger guy – not obese or anything, but tall and built. He had graying hair and sharp eyes. That's what I remember most. His eyes were pretty intense."

"What else?"

"I don't know. I wasn't paying that close of attention… I didn't think I'd be relaying facts about him several hours later."

At the close of the conversation, Regina tossed the phone aside and buried her face in her hands. The school was inept. They had almost no information on whoever had taken Henry, which left her with no real leads. So far her list of suspects was long; there were many people over the years who had been injured by her actions. Limiting that list to older men didn't do much in terms of shortening anything. She tilted her head toward Emma, who might be having better luck than she was.

"I need to talk to Mr. Spencer," Emma said. She glanced over at Regina and lifted a finger to signal she just needed a moment more. "Well, when will he be back in? He has to have mentioned a return date... Fine. Yes. I'll leave a message. Tell him that Sheriff Swan wanted to follow up with him about their previous meeting. Thank you."

"Why did you call Spencer?"

Emma scooted over the bedspread and clutched her hands. "It's just a hunch. When I got Bolt earlier, there was a car driving around, and Bolt was pretty agitated about it. I got the plates, right? It was Spencer's car. I'm used to following my gut, even if I don't know quite why yet."

"The school said Henry was taken by an older man."

"Spencer fits that. Would he have any reason to take Henry?"

Regina shrugged. "I was never on good terms with him, either here or in the Enchanted Forest. Still, I'm not sure why he would have chosen to strike at me now."

"Hm." Emma closed her eyes and forced her brain to thrum into overdrive. "What other older guys might be mad at you?"

Regina frowned, glad that Emma couldn't see her expression. Of course this was someone she had upset. She had been having similar thoughts, but hearing Emma assume that this was her fault somehow was hurtful.

"There are several," she said finally, after several moments of tense silence.

Emma understood from Regina's slighted tone that she had said something wrong, and on consideration of her words, she realized what. She sighed and opened her eyes. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I just--between the two of us, I just think it's more likely that... Ugh. So it's just as likely that-"

"Your platitudes are unnecessary." Regina lifted a hand to cut off further protestation from Emma. "I… am simply used to those around me attempting to-"

"No," Emma interrupted. "They're totally necessary. I don't always think, but I never want to hurt you, okay? Hell, thinking about it, I might have pissed Spencer off when I barged into his office without an appointment and hurled accusations at him. Or maybe he's still angry at David over the whole not-really-his-son deal. I shouldn't have just jumped straight to who in your life could be looking to get back at you."

Regina cleared her throat. Her voice wobbled a bit as she said, "Thank you, Emma."

"Yeah…" Emma flushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "End of the day, though, he's definitely on our list. I'd put Jefferson on there, too. Who else might have a vendetta against either of us, or my parents?"

"Mr. French, perhaps. He's been upset with both me and your parents since we didn't intercede on his behalf when Belle chose Rumple."

"He's an old guy, so definitely going on the list." Emma wrinkled her nose. "We can think while we walk. We aren't going to accomplish anything by just sitting here."

"Where do you think they went?"

"Somewhere in Storybrooke. Most kidnappings outside town end with some sort of ransom demand, which might happen here because you are sort of loaded."

Regina frowned. "Would they have left town? The barrier is no longer stable, after all…"

"I don't think they'll leave Storybrooke." Emma shook her head. "We have to think about what the purpose of this is. Are they trying to get money? If so, there's no point in going too far away. If they're trying to hurt one of us, there are easier options than taking him out of town. No, there's nothing they can really accomplish by taking him beyond the borders, I promise."

"I truly hope you're correct." Regina stood and snapped her fingers. She was instantly clothed again, and her hair was once more in place. Nothing about her attire suggested that she'd spent the last hour or so having sex with the sheriff, and her expression was a far cry from its earlier intensity. Regina looked lost, Emma noted, which prompted her to take the lead.

"We have a list of likely suspects. Let's get started tracking some of them down and talking to them. David will call if they find anything or learn something, so the best thing we can do is hunt down our leads."

"Very well."

As Emma stood and went to tuck her phone into her pocket once more, the cellular device buzzed in her hand. Seeing David's name on the screen caused her heart to thud painfully as she put the phone against her ear and asked, "What did you find?"

"Nothing yet. But we just got a call from a Ms. Foxworth. She says that her daughter left her lunch at home, and when she called the school about delivering the meal later, they told her that Jenny never made it to school."

"Do we think she's been kidnapped, too?"

"I don't want to draw any conclusions yet, but it's possible. I know we're focused on finding Henry, but I need your go-ahead to send a few people to investigate her disappearance as well."

"Yeah, of course." Emma thought for a moment. "But I've got a feeling that this is related to Henry. She was involved with Pizza Parlor and Fagin, which gives her a connection Spencer, who's on our list of suspects. Talk to Hook--he was supposed to be watching out for her. Until then, we're going to move forward like the two cases are connected. Send someone to investigate, like you wanted, but also get me a list of the land Spencer holds. He might be hiding things, so you'll have to dig pretty deep."

"I'll call Belle."

"See if you can get Gold to help, too. Bribe him with family time if you have to. I'm sure he can help with some sort of tracking spell." She glanced at Regina. "Regina and I are heading for the middle school right now to see if we can't start one ourselves for Henry."

"Good luck."

"You, too." She crossed to Regina's side as she shoved the phone into a pocket. Once they were side by side, she kissed the corner of Regina's mouth. "We're going to find him. You know that, right?"

"Yes," Regina huffed. Her fingers fidgeted, however. Emma grabbed her hands and pulled her close.

"Here's the thing. I'm not ready for this to be over. I've never had a real family like this before, and now that I've got it, I'm gonna fight to the death to keep it."

"You are not allowed to die."

"Not for a long time," Emma promised. "Until then, though, I'm not going to stop protecting the people I love. I'm not going to let some jerk kidnap our kid right under our noses without some sort of retribution. He's messing with the wrong women, right?"

Her words had their intended effect; Regina kissed her again before moving purposefully toward the door. "Let's get going. We're wasting time."


	45. Chapter 45

With Bolt straining against his leash in front of them, they hurried down the front path. If they were quick, they could be at the school in ten minutes or so; Regina was so fast in heels, Emma noted. She was fairly decent in the shoes herself, but she had never wanted to run in them. Her own flat-footed boots weren't the best choice for sprinting, either, as they lacked arch support, but she at least wasn't one wrong step away from toppling over.

Her lungs were burning by the time they reached the front of the school. Hoping that Bolt could actually understand her, she bent near him, rubbed his chin, and commanded, "Find Henry."

Bolt barked and dropped his head. Nose snuffling along the cement, he yipped again as he caught Henry's scent. At least, that's what Emma hoped he'd caught as they once again began sprinting down the sidewalk. Every person they passed was shouted both a half-hearted apology and a brief explanation, and soon enough, people around town were hollering updates of David's search party to them as they jogged by.

Emma jerked on Bolt's leash, pulling him to a halt so she could catch her breath. "Regina, I need a second."

"Just one," Regina allowed. She was winded herself and used the pause to pant discretely until her heart was no longer straining to keep up. "This neighborhood looks familiar."

"It does." Emma glanced around and sighed. "That's because we're heading toward Pizza Parlor."

"That place seems to be the source of all Storybrooke's current problems." Regina folded her arms over her chest. "Perhaps that's where we ought to start truly investigating."

"Probably. I'll call Fagin." Emma handed Bolt's leash to Regina and dug her phone out. "I can walk and talk, as long as you don't mind moving slower for a few minutes."

She willed the phone to ring faster as she walked. Bolt was still trying to move much more quickly than they were, which made her increasingly aware of time ticking past. Every moment they spent trying to figure out where Henry was, was a moment his kidnapper could be taking him farther away. She hoped that David had enough sense to send someone to watch the roads out of town; she'd text him after talking to Fagin just to make sure their bases were all covered. Despite her promise to Regina, she didn't want any chance of Henry slipping through their fingers. Storybrooke was large, but it wasn't Boston. They could find him, she told herself, just as long as they kept their wits about them and thought things through fast enough.

"Anything?"

"Still ringing," she replied. There was no answering machine, however, so after a minute of waiting, she ended the call. "If he's there, he's really not answering."

"He might not be there." Regina's eyebrows hiked up her forehead doubtfully.

"This is the lead we've got right now. Until David or someone calls to tell us something new, we need to track down whatever we can. Let's get over there. I bet, if nothing else, we'll find some clue in his paperwork." Emma tried to smile, but neither she nor Regina believed the expression. "It's all we have."

"I wish I hadn't yelled at him-" Regina paused for a moment; Rumple had said she was capable of using ambient magic, which should mean that she could make a wish, and it would work. Ignoring that her previous wishes hadn't worked, she focused all of her attention, squeezed her eyes shut, and wished for both missing children to be safe and in front of her.

"You coming?"

She opened her eyes as disappointment fizzled through her veins. There was nothing before her except Emma. Helplessness nearly sucked the air from her lungs as she started moving once more and tried to keep up with the other woman.

At the corner of Washington and Benton, Emma stopped abruptly. Her head dropped low, and her hands swung up to rest on her hips. Turning in tight circles, she paced a moment before glancing up with the most wounded expression Regina had ever seen.

"Emma, we need to-"

"This is my fault. Did you know that?"

Although this was hardly the right time for a breakdown, Regina was on the brink herself and so could understand Emma's fragile state. She approached Emma slowly, hoping that Bolt would understand that they really needed a few minutes to sort things out.

"I'd ask how, but I know you have a ridiculous answer already prepared."

"If this is connected to the whole Fagin-Spencer thing, I tipped our hand. I called Fagin last night and basically told him that Spencer knew that I knew. You shoulda heard the panic in his voice."

"You telling Fagin about what is occurring in your investigation wouldn't make Spencer kidnap our child." Regina grabbed Emma's wrist.

"Don't touch me, please." Emma jerked her arm out of Regina's grasp. "I can't right now-"

"Ms. Swan," Regina snapped. "While I, of all people, can relate to the horrible feeling of life falling apart piece by piece, Henry needs us to keep moving forward."

"You say that now, but if he–-if-–"

She wanted to touch Emma once more to reestablish their connection, but she kept her hands to herself. She folded her arms over her chest and said, "If nothing. I have spent decades grappling with this, but a person's action is his or her own. You are no more responsible for Henry's kidnap than I am for my mother's death."

"I…" The mention of Cora's demise was a verbal slap in the face; Emma blinked slowly and took several deep breaths. "You're right. I know you're right. I'm sorry--I just… We really need to find a way to keep Henry from getting kidnapped again. This is like the second time in how many years? Kidnap him once, shame on you. Kidnap him twice, shame on me. Kidnap him three times, we really need to look into a child-leash or a tracking chip."

"We will do what we can, but we cannot watch him at all times." Emma stepped closer and looked mournfully at her. Regina opened her arms and allowed Emma to approach her fully before enclosing the blonde in a hug. "Emma, as much as I want to fall apart with you, we both have to keep going. Alone, I don't think either of us will be enough."

Emma clung to her like a small child to a treasured teddy bear. "I just want a few days when I don't have to be strong."

Regina considered this for a long moment. She supposed there was a lot of truth and validity to what Emma was saying. For as long as they had known each other, Emma had been the hero, from bringing Henry home, to breaking the curse, and so on. There weren't many moments when Emma had been allowed to simply be Emma, although she hoped she had provided a few of those along the way. Once Henry was safe, and she was sure he would continue to be, she was going to find a way to take the pressure off Emma's shoulders. The Sheriff could use a few deputies and at least a few weeks of vacation time.

"I'll be strong for you," she promised. "Just hold on a little longer."

Emma swallowed hard and stood straighter. She cleared her throat, embarrassed that not only had she broken down so quickly, but that her outburst had been in public. "Let's get to Pizza Parlor, huh?"

"Yes, that's for the best. Like you said, this is the one lead we have right now." Regina kept a close watch on Emma's expression. "I need to know you can keep going."

"The two of us can do this." When Emma spoke, her voice was steady. Her tone once more had its usual firm quality.

"I'm glad you've snapped out of it," Regina added. "I wasn't looking forward to rescuing Henry alone."

"I wouldn't…" Emma trailed off before organizing her thoughts and trying again. "Here's the thing. The kid is my family. I didn't go twenty-eight years without having one to just let go of the one I've found without a fight. You and him, you're mine, and I don't let go so easy. So yeah, I'm sorry about that, but I would never make you face Spencer alone. This is our family, and we both have to work together to get our kid back."

"Our family."

"Yeah." Emma flushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Unless I'm being presumptuous. I know we've got a lot of work to do and all, but… this is what I want. You and me and him in your big house on Mifflin, with our silly little dog."

Regina wondered if this was Emma's way of proclaiming love. She could easily identify the feeling in her own heart, but she wasn't prepared just yet to say the words out loud. Rather than pressure Emma for clarification, she hugged Emma tighter and then broke away. "Then let's get to Pizza Parlor and figure out our next step."

Emma nodded stiffly, dragged her sleeve across her eyes, and set off once again. Bolt barked his excitement and took off after her, leaving Regina to catch up with both woman and dog. Her throat clenched as she realized that every word Emma said was true; this was their family and exactly what she wanted. Part of her wanted to call Emma back and retract her words. She ought to rescue Henry alone so that she didn't endanger the blonde. Despite her earlier offense, she was relatively sure the kidnapping was related to something she had done in the past; she couldn't have both people she loved in danger because of her.

Archie's advice rang in her ears and bolstered her spirits. She could not control Emma's actions; if Emma were dead set on tracking down Spencer and saving Henry, she could do nothing to stop the other woman. She could, however, use every ounce of her energy in doing the same. Separate, they might face insurmountable obstacles. Together, Regina was fairly certain they could do anything required to save their son. She sped up, intent on catching up.

They were close to Pizza Parlor when a frazzled woman sprinted out of a nearby house and practically leaped upon Emma, who braced herself a moment before impact and saved them both from toppling into the street. Pushing the woman away and straightening her clothes, Emma shook her head.

"Can we help you?"

"You're Sheriff Swan, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm Meredith Foxworth. My daughter is-"

"Jenny." Emma's attention piqued. She stood with hands akimbo and cocked her head to one side. "Did you happen to see a black sedan driving around earlier?"

"No, but I wasn't paying that close of attention."

"Try to remember," Emma prompted. "Anything you can recall as out of the ordinary will help us find your daughter that much faster."

Meredith pressed the heels of her palms against her temples. She hummed under her breath and clenched her eyes closed. Emma was about to give up when she made a small noise of realization and grabbed Emma's arm. "I went out this morning to put the trashcans on the curb for garbage collection. As I recall, there was a black car over at Pizza Parlor. It struck me as funny because it was much too early for someone to be getting pizza. I guess I forgot about it with everything that's happened."

Emma set a hand on Meredith's shoulder. "Go inside and wait by your phone. We'll let you know the moment we find her, okay?"

"Please bring my daughter home."

"We will," Regina promised. She made no movement to offer consolation, but her words were enough.

"Spencer was here earlier," Emma said as they approached the building. Her stomach was knotted with worry, but she moved with purpose. This was the first step in getting Henry back, and she was going to find some answers. "Which supports my theory that he took both Jenny and Henry. The question is why--and to where."

"We'll get our answers if we find Fagin."

Regina grabbed the front door and pulled, half expecting the door to be locked. Contrarily, the door popped open, and she gestured for Emma to enter first. She followed close behind and flipped the lock behind them. The space was empty: the few tables available still had chairs leaning against them as if morning opening procedures hadn't taken place. The ovens were off and so were the lights.

"Mr. Fagin," Emma called. Her voice echoed eerily and set Regina ill-at-ease. She waited a moment for an answer and then continued. "It's Emma Swan and Regina Mills. We just have a few questions for you."

Emma's calls were met with silence. As the blonde pulled out her phone, Regina frowned and moved toward the front counter where a bell rested. She dinged it several times. When nobody answered, she growled. "Fagin, if you are anywhere inside, you will let us know. Time is of the essence, so if you give yourself up willingly, I will ask the Sheriff to not press charges against you in aiding and abetting the kidnapper of two children. Should you hold your silence, I will torch the building to the ground. I have a witness with me who will swear up and down the space was empty, and it was an accident."

"Please no." The weak voice wobbled from the back room.

Exchanging looks, Emma and Regina hurried toward the source of Fagin's voice.


	46. Chapter 46

As they approached the back room, Regina flexed her hand and conjured a ball of fire; Emma grabbed her wrist and shot her a pleading look. Although she wanted to incinerate Fagin for putting Henry in danger, she realized that coming in with a threat of force and violence probably wasn't going to get them ideal results. With a small huff, she extinguished the flame and glared at her companion.

"He's already a mess, okay?" Emma stared back at her pointedly. "We need answers, not more whining."

"I am aware, but that does not negate my desire to singe his b-"

"Regina."

"I wasn't actually going to do anything." Regina rolled her eyes and moved toward the door. "I swear, Emma, you need to keep up."

Recognizing this as Regina's attempt to take control of the situation, Emma snorted and followed after. She wanted to shake the man until his head fell off, but he was weak and puling; she had developed some people skills over the years as both a con artist and a bail bonds person, so she knew this would require more tact than aggression.

They entered the room together, and Emma glanced around. Very little had changed since the morning she broke in. The only difference that she could see was that Fagin's desk had been emptied of its contents, and those contents littered the floor. Atop those scattered papers was Fagin, who was curled into a tight ball as if he thought being small would trick them into thinking he wasn't there. Emma nudged his back with the tip of her boot.

"Fagin, get up."

He whimpered and shook his head. "Don't hurt me anymore."

"We're not here to hurt you."

"She said she'd burn-"

"It was merely a tactic to ascertain your location." Regina folded her arms over her chest defensively.

Fagin sat up slowly and struggled to his feet. One hand flew to his head as Emma examined the cuts and bruises that littered the skin she could see. She could only imagine that his shirt hid more damage, and she winced with empathy. She'd been in his position before and didn't envy the pain he must be in. Still, he had likely brought this on himself, so she offered him no reprieve.

"What happened here?"

"Nothing." He scratched at some blood that had crusted onto his upper lip. "I-I fell. And even if I didn't, I don't need your help."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He flinched at the sharp tone of Regina's voice. "You got involved before, and this is what happened. Imagine what'll become of me if you meddle even more." He croaked out a weak laugh. "I'll probably end up dead, that's what."

Emma's eyebrows crept up her forehead. "You can't blame this on me, Fagin. I didn't sic Spencer on you."

"He had nothing to do with this!" Fagin sputtered the denial out too quickly, and his eyes flashed to the door. Emma moved in front of the exit to keep him from fleeing.

"We know it was him. Neighbors down the road saw his car early this morning. He was here, and now you look like you went a couple of rounds with a professional boxer. It's not that hard to piece together."

"Yeah, he was here." Fagin's tone wavered, and fat tears gathered in his eyes. "All because you couldn't just leave well enough alone. I didn't ask for this."

"What do you mean?"

"You told him!"

"I told him?"

Fagin nodded vehemently until the action became painful. "You told me on the phone last night. You told me you talked to him, and you knew what was going on. He told me no cops."

"Start at the top," Emma commanded. "Last night after we hung up until now. Tell us everything."

Regina approached, her hand glowing. Afraid that Regina was going to threaten him further if he didn't immediately comply, Emma took a step forward. Regina shook her head stiffly and placed her glowing hand on Fagin's skin. Purple magic rippled over him; his cuts closed, and his bruises faded. Relief filtered over his features, and his posture relaxed.

"I'm not a healer, but I can ease your pain. You will still need to see a doctor for your broken ribs." She broke contact and eased back. "Now, do as Sheriff Swan has asked, and we'll make sure no further harm comes to you."

"Yeah, okay." He moved around his desk and gingerly took a seat. "So last night after I hung up with you, I got a call from Mr. Spencer. He wasn't too happy that you were sniffing around, and he wanted full payment and an agreement that I wouldn't talk to anyone about anything. He's got a reputation around town, y'know?"

"I don't think his reputation would have been hurt by this," Emma replied. "But go on."

"The thing is, I didn't have the full payment. I lied, just to buy myself some time. I promised him that I'd have the whole thing ready for him at nine this morning, which woulda given me just enough time to warn the neighborhood kids and get out before he got here. But I guess he knew that, and he showed up a few hours after the call, around one. He had two goons with him, real mean looking guys, and he wanted everything right then. I told him I needed time to get it all in one place, so his guys took me around to all my hidey-holes… I keep my money all over town–-I don't trust the bank. They're the real criminals if you ask me-"

"Get on with it."

"We got back here, but I was still short. I kept hoping that if I wasted enough time, he'd just leave me alone. All this time, I kept telling him that I didn't have anything to do with you investigating, and this wasn't my fault. But he just wasn't listening. When he realized I didn't have the money, he got angry. He got his two guys to…" Fagin swallowed hard and stared down at his healing injuries. "Well, you see me now. You know."

"This doesn't explain why he took Henry and Jenny." Emma looked at Regina, who looked back with worried eyes. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it wasn't him-"

"He took Jenny?" Fagin straightened up as much as he could. "Spencer took her?"

"We think so."

"She was reported missing earlier today, just as Henry was. Their only connection is this investigation, which leads us to believe that Albert Spencer took both children, although we have yet to figure out why or to where he took them."

"Oh, no." Fagin buried his face in his hands and let out a pathetic wail. "I didn't think he'd–-this wasn't supposed to happen!"

Emma stalked closer and slammed her hands on his desk, causing him to squeal and bawl more. "Cut the shit, Fagin. We don't have time for this. You need to get it together right now, or I'll give you something to cry about."

Fagin stared plaintively over at Regina and wheedled, "Make her stop…"

"Sheriff Swan, I understand that tensions are high-"

"We're wasting time. He knows something that he's not sharing, and every second he hides behind his tears is a second Henry could potentially be in danger." Emma reached across the desk and grabbed Fagin's shirt. "So, you better start talking, and it better be the truth."

Regina set a hand on Emma's shoulder and pulled her back. "Go wait in the hall."

0-0-0

Emma sulked out into the hall and shoved her hands into her pockets. She was this close to getting him to talk, she could just feel it. She had, however, stopped Regina from barging in with magic blazing and so sighed. She hadn't meant to do the exact same thing that she had halted, yet her temper flared, and she did nothing to control the anger bubbling through her. From her position by the door, she could hear them talking and was glad that she had inadvertently implemented the classic good-cop/bad-cop routine. He seemed more than willing to talk to Regina now that the furious blonde was no longer in the room to intimidate him. She focused in on their conversation and listened as best she could.

"I apologize for that," Regina said. "We are both just worried about the well being of our son. I imagine you feel a bit of that for young Jenny."

"Yeah… I never meant for her to get tangled up in this."

"Things happen outside our ability to control them. That's a hard lesson I've been learning lately. All you can do now is try to help save them."

"You're right…"

"Tell me again what happened, but this time include the important facts."

"After I got back with all the money, which wasn't enough, Spencer was really mad. I thought he was going to kill me. He went off on a rant about how worthless I am. And I know that's true, but I thought it was going to end with him putting a hole between my eyes. I'm worthless, but I'd like to live. So, I told him that I knew something that would make this all worth his while."

"What was that?"

"In exchange for forgiving the rest of my debt, I told him that kids in town are able to make wishes that come true."

"That could be why he took one child, but I don't understand why he'd take two." Regina frowned. "Is there anything else you can think of that might help?"

He shook his head. "That's all I know. He thought it was very interesting, so he left me alone. I thought that would be the end of it. I thought he'd go away and--"

"And take some child you had no connection to." Regina glared down at him. She resisted the urge to harm him. "As long as you didn't have to think about it, you could sleep easily at night."

He wilted. "I--I didn't think he'd kidnap a child."

"What did you think he'd do? The last time he wanted a child, he made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. He's unscrupulous when it comes to getting what he wants."

"I thought he'd… he'd hire a kid or something."

"Ridiculous." Regina spun on her heel and marched for the door. "We may have promised not to press charges, but we will be informing Ms. Foxworth of your part in her daughter's disappearance. Consider our offer of protection rescinded."

"But…"

"Next time you think about selling a child out for your own comfort, don't."

She exited the room and found Emma waiting. Emma gripped her arm. "I heard everything."

"What do we do next?" Regina swallowed hard; she had expended her both her patience and her energy, which left her with very little but her motivation to save their son. "We know he took them, but where…"

"David should be doing research-"

"He's a rich man, Emma. He's bound to have a dozen holdings in town. We don't have time to search them all. Also, this is assuming he went somewhere that he owns."

"It's something. We know he needs them to make wishes, so he's not going to hurt them."

"Who knows what he's doing to them-"

"We can't think like that right now."

They jumped as the front door clanged open; Artie barged in, his hands clenched into fists and his eyes narrowed. Behind him, Olivia hurried along. She spotted Emma and rerouted around Artie. On reaching Emma's side, she sniffled and rubbed her wrist along her eyes.

"I'm glad you're here. We called the police, but they said you were out. They offered to take a message, but… We didn't want to tell anyone what we know, just you. We trust you to get her back."

Emma felt hope swelling in her belly. She'd be willing to forgive the ruffian anything if he helped them get Henry back. "What do you know?"

"Artie saw Jenny get taken." Olivia twisted around and tugged Artie over. She continued clutching him as she continued speaking. "I know he was bad before, taking things that didn't belong to him, but he wants to make up for it."

"We already know it was Spencer who took her. Do you know more than that?"

Artie puffed his chest out and stood silently until Olivia elbowed him in the side. "Please, Artie. It's for Jenny. Help us."

"Yeah, we know more. When I saw her get pulled into that car, I followed." He smirked at Emma. "You know how fast I am, huh, Sheriff?"

"You know where they are?"

"I can lead you there, too." Bolt, who had been waiting by Emma's feet, began to wag his tail. He shifted forward, sniffed Artie's toes, and barked. Artie chuckled and bent down to rub his ears. "He wants to help, too."

"You understand him?"

"I'm a dog, too, or had you forgotten?" He shrugged. "We might just be animals, but we can fight. We can win."

"Take us there."


	47. Chapter 47

Henry woke slowly, with a thudding ache between his eyes. He blinked but saw very little. Although he tried to groan, the sound came out muffled. He couldn't remember where he was or why he was there, yet he was fairly certain he ought to be in math class right about now. His mouth was incredibly dry and, as he soon came to discover, filled with some sort of cloth. Despite his sputtering, the gag remained tightly in place.

This wasn't right. He couldn't remember much of anything, but his instincts were flaring wildly: there was danger nearby, and he needed to get away. He tried to jerk a hand up to clear his mouth but discovered that his wrists were bound. Likewise, his ankles were restrained, and there was something leathery around his neck. This wasn't right. The last thing he could recall clearly was his fight with Regina that morning. He hadn't treated her right, and now he was stuck somewhere with the possibility of never seeing her again looming over him. His stomach knotted with anxiety.

As panic filled him, his vision began to clear; he had to find a way back home, no matter what. He was in some sort of warehouse, he noted. The floor was cement and barren except for a drain several yards away and some discoloration. There was a door across the room with a large bolt lock, no windows that he could see, and no vents through which he could escape. All of this information was pushed aside when he noticed the chair directly opposite him. There was a girl bound up just as he was. His worries about his own well being were instantly cast aside. He had to save her.

Being bound wasn't going to stop him.

"Mrrrrrh," he grunted. The girl remained motionless. She was a little familiar, but he couldn't place who she was. She might go to his school. No matter who she was, he was going to get her out of here. Wherever here was.

He scooted forward, wincing as his chair scraped the ground. If their kidnapper was around, they could certainly hear his progress. Inch by inch, he moved closer. This was what Emma would do--she was the Savior, and he was the kid of the Savior, so he had inherited her natural ability to save people. He clung to those thoughts as he continued his laborious trip across the room.

If he got out of this, he was going to apologize to Regina and never misbehave again. He paused to breathe and hated that he wasn't better at sports. Whenever he was at basketball practice, his lack of athletic prowess was awfully obvious, but he'd never felt worse about his musculature than in this moment. He was breathing hard as he could only breathe through his nose, and his body burned with exertion. He'd apologize to Regina and get into better shape.

As he rested, he tried to remember once again how he'd gotten into this situation. He had been at school, and there had been something going on… He clenched his eyes closed and willed himself to remember. The teacher had sent him to the office because-–because Emma. A wave of sadness crashed over him. Emma had been injured. His throat clenched with emotion. Emma was hurt, and he was captured.

No.

He fought to stay positive. If he had been kidnapped, then there was a chance that Emma's injury had been a lie to trick him. She was probably fine, and he just had to get out of there to prove it. He began scooting once more, and then hollered as a hand landed on his shoulder.

He twisted and turned to get a better look at his captor. At first, the figure was hidden in shadows; Henry narrowed his eyes and tried to focus on the fuzzy details, but nothing gave him any clues. His captor was a large person, and that was all he knew. The figure shifted, and the man stepped into the light. Henry growled at Spencer and strained against his bonds. Spencer grabbed the back of his gag and yanked; Henry choked and sputtered.

"Hello, Henry."

"Rrrrrrrgh."

"As much as I'd enjoy hearing what you have to say, it is more important right now that you listen to me. Are you amenable to that?" Spencer held fast through Henry's struggles and laughed as Henry stilled. "I'll take that as a yes. You're certainly in no position to argue. I'm removing your gag, but the moment you speak out of turn, I'll do worse than stuff something in your mouth. Do you understand?"

Henry nodded and glared. The thought did occur to him to scream for help, but from what his moms had said about Spencer, he knew that Spencer was capable of a lot of bad stuff. Plus, he remembered bits and pieces of King George's part in his storybook. Images of having his tongue cut out or his lips sewn together kept his voice locked in his throat. When he did speak, it was with a quiet tone and polite inflection.

"You're not going to get away with this."

"They all say that."

"They're usually right."

Spencer shook his head. "In the world of movies, perhaps, but this is reality, young Henry, and things aren't going to work out in your favor."

"Good always wins."

"Good is relative. You see me as bad, but I see myself as good. Which one of us is correct?" Spencer shrugged. "The truth is that good and bad don't matter."

"My moms are going to find me-"

"Don't you worry about that." Spencer dragged his chair back to where he started and ruffled his hair. He wished he could fight the contact, but he didn't want to anger Spencer when he had no means of defending himself. "My boy, no harm will come to you as long as you sit still and listen."

"I'm not your boy."

"No, perhaps not. Did you know your grandfather was? In a way, you're my great grandson."

"You bargained to get him--"

"He was still my son, just as much as you are the Evil Queen's. Or is adoption no longer a possible way to have a child?"

Although he hated how Spencer was comparing their family situations, Henry bit his tongue on that matter. "What's your point?"

"In a way, you're my family. I don't want to hurt you. I may have to, mind you, but I don't want to. I don't have much family left, so rather than hurt you, my plan is to hurt her." Spencer gripped the top of Henry's head and forced him to look at the bound girl. "If you scream, struggle, or try anything funny, I'll damage that pretty little face of hers. Not enough to kill her, of course, because then what would I use to control you?"

Henry's lip curled up into a snarl. "Let her go. I won't--"

"Promises under duress are hard to keep." Spencer leaned back and folded his arms over his chest. "I'd advise you to think before you speak."

"I promise." Henry stared stoically up at him. "I won't do anything funny. Don't hurt her."

"Hopefully I won't have to. Now, as you said before, your mothers are probably hot on my trail. Do you realize how hard it is to keep things a secret around here?"

"Yeah, and that's why they're going to save me." He boldly stared Spencer down.

"Well, we'll see about that." Spencer crossed to the girl, who was slowly coming to. She strained and cried as she realized she couldn't move, and Henry's rage churned in his belly. Spencer had promised not to hurt her, but he wasn't known for being the nicest man. "Before we continue, I must remind you of what's at stake here."

"Leave her alone."

Spencer dug into his pocket and withdrew a long, sharp blade. He slid the edge along her throat and over her increased screams said, "Don't think about crossing me, Henry."

"Stop!"

"One wrong move, and-"

"I won't do anything, just don't hurt her."

"I'm glad we're all on the same page." He withdrew the knife and cuffed the girl curtly with the hilt of the blade; her head lolled down over her chest. "It has come to my attention that you children have the power to make wishes that come true. " He fiddled with the blade, catching the metal with light and keeping Henry's attention focused. "This is a very special power, Henry. One that you are going to give me access to."

"I won't help you--"

"Quiet. Unless you'd like to be responsible for her loss of a finger?" Henry bit down on his tongue to keep from speaking further. "Good. Returning to a prior topic of conversation, you're right. Your mothers are no doubt on their way here. But we cannot allow them to interrupt us preemptively. For your first task, you will wish for a barrier around this building. If you refuse, or try anything, I will hurt her." He pressed the tip of the blade against her skin until a bead of blood welled up.

Henry fought to keep calm; voice quaking, he muttered, "I wish--"

"If you wish for anything other than what I've requested..."

Henry stared at the girl's limp form, the will to fight back bleeding away. "I wish for a barrier around this building."

As the pulse rippled out around them and enveloped the building, Henry stared down at his knees. He wanted badly to puke, but breakfast had been skipped in his hurry to get out of the house. There was simply nothing in his stomach to rebel. He wanted to cry, as well, but he didn't want to look weak in front of the villain who currently controlled his future. Instead of either option, he clenched his hands into fists as best he could and sat silently.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Spencer chuckled. "I think you'll come to understand that this is all for the best."

If this was best, Henry was suddenly unsure of his understanding of the world. Good was supposed to win over evil, yet Spencer was standing free, and there was nothing he could do about it. He could wish for Spencer to disappear, but as soon as he said 'I wish' out loud without Spencer's say-so, that girl would be in a world of pain. A world that he'd caused. He just couldn't risk harm coming to that girl. If he so much as blinked wrong, Spencer might think he had acted out of line. He gnawed on his lower lip as he struggled to figure a way out of this situation.

"You're right," he finally answered. "I'm sorry I fought. What do you want me to wish for next?"

Spencer appraised him. "I recently lost a good deal of money when a client couldn't pay his fee. I require compensation. Wish for money."

Henry licked his lips. He was going to buy as much time as he could and hope that Regina and Emma found him and broke the barrier. "How much? I don't know if you've heard of the monkey's paw, but it's always best to be as specific as possible with wishes, so they don't go horribly wrong. We're lucky the barrier didn't cut off our air supply."

Spencer nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose you have a point. I can't have you simply wish for money, as you might ask for too little, or too much to fit in this space. Wish for one hundred thousand dollars in one hundred dollar bills. Wish for it to be in a duffel bag."

Henry shook his head. "I have an idea. I wish for a big blue duffle bag." The bag popped into existence by his feet. Before Spencer could complain, Henry added, "And now I wish for as many one hundred dollar bills as will fit in that bag."

As the bag filled, Spencer smiled widely. Henry hoped that meant that Spencer trusted him a little more. He tried not to watch the blade, but he was waiting patiently for it to disappear back into Spencer's pockets. When it was gone, he would make a wish to set them both free. For now, he had to play by Spencer's rules.

"That was good thinking, my boy."

"Thanks. I'm at the top of my class." Spencer ignored his commentary; he grimaced as his attempt at conversation was sidestepped. He would have to find a different way to stall. "Have you thought of another wish?"

Spencer tossed the knife from hand to hand. "I'm in no hurry. We're safe in here for now-"

"Have you thought it through beyond that?" Henry kept his voice low. "How we're going to leave here?"

"I'll deal with that when the time arrives."

"My moms are pretty powerful." Henry's brain whirred along. He was related to a handful of fairy tale characters, which brought him his next idea. Drawing on a story, he suggested, "But I bet you could be more powerful."

Spencer eyed him. "Very well. You will wish for me to be more powerful than your mothers."

"I wish you were a genie."


	48. Chapter 48

Artie led them through town, to an area with which Emma was not familiar. She forgot on occasion just how big Storybrooke was, but it had to house at least a thousand displaced fairy tale people, from royalty to peasants and everyone in between. She just hadn't been aware that it also had an area that looked somewhat industrial; rather than waste her breath on asking Regina about it, she just kept running with the rest of them. They had to be close, and once they found Henry's location, they could save him.

"It's just up ahead," Artie announced. "He's got them inside, and there's two buffoons outside. That's all. At least, that's all there were when I left a while ago. He coulda brought more since then. So don't blame me if there's--"

"We won't blame you for anything," Regina quipped. "Unless you're leading us to the wrong location."

"I don't have a reason to do that." He sneered at her and then pointed to a large building in the distance. "They're in there."

Emma's heart leaped to her throat. They were going to get him back. She picked up her pace and overtook her companions. Just as she reached the edge of the property, a golden light blasted toward her. She braced herself and stumbled back as it slammed against her. The force sent her toppling to the ground. Moments later, Regina was at her side, helping her back up.

"What was that?"

Regina shook her head. "I'm not sure."

Olivia moved past them and pressed her hand to the glimmering wall before them. She flinched as the wall buzzed under her palm. "I can't get through. I think it's a barrier."

"No way." Artie pushed her gently to the side and attempted to walk through; he jumped back abruptly as if stung.

"See?" Olivia stuck her tongue out. "I told you."

Artie rubbed his hand on his shirt and glared at her. "Yeah, yeah. You don't need to rub it in."

"Guys, cool it." Emma glared at the glimmering wall. This was unforeseen but not indomitable. She had to think; either she or Regina was capable of thinking up a way through, they just needed time. Unfortunately, they didn't have much of that. "Watch Bolt, will you?"

Regina turned to her as Bolt scampered to the bickering pair. "If this is a barrier, then there's a chance there's a hole somewhere. If we find that, then we can slip in, hopefully unnoticed by either the guards or Spencer."

Emma glanced at the building and spotted the two goons watching them closely. "Well, Spencer maybe. I'm pretty sure that we've already been spotted by the guards."

"Give me your hand."

"Not that I'm opposed to holding hands with you, but why?" Emma offered her hand as she asked. "Just for curiosity's sake."

"I'm going to test the barrier with magic and look for weak points. Having a connection with you, or working in tandem, has always seemed to focus my magic best. As you just got knocked down, I'm choosing to use a connection, rather than forcing you to help." Regina lifted her other hand, closed her eyes, and sent out a spurt of purple fog. It approached the barrier, spread out, and began to drift around.

"Whatever you say." Emma shook her head. "I'm still a little rattled. Whatever sent the barrier out was pretty strong."

"And pretty thorough." Regina opened her eyes. "The dome encompasses the entirety of the building and, as far as I can tell, there are no holes or structural weaknesses."

"Well there goes that plan."

Regina grimaced and released Emma's hand. Emma wished for a moment that their connection remained, but she instead turned her focus to the barrier. Her eyes drifted down to Artie and Olivia, who were still bantering quietly, and then on to Bolt, who sat near their feet. He wasn't sitting still, she noted. His paws were digging furiously in the dirt at the base of the barrier. His hole was small, but it seemed like the barrier went through the ground as well. He wasn't going to get in that way, Emma mused, but he might be on to something.

"Regina, would it be possible to blast a hole in the barrier?"

"I'm not sure. We need to know more about what created it."

"We don't have time for that."

"I am well aware," Regina said a small huff of frustration. She squared her shoulders and stared Emma down. "He's my son, too, and I'm under the same pressure you are."

"You've never failed him before," Emma replied. She looked aside and pressed her lips together.

"On the contrary, I think I have failed him more than you." Regina reached out and grabbed Emma's wrist. "I don't want to turn this into a competition, but I've had a decade longer than you to accrue small failures. You are the mother he always wanted."

"He thought he wanted," Emma corrected. "He knows that you're the mother he needed."

Regina wasn't sure if that was entirely true, but she also recognized that some of her own issues with confidence were distorting her views. "He needs us both right now."

"So, let's give it a try. I know we don't know enough, but that shouldn't stop us from doing everything we can."

Regina linked their hands once more. She shouted for the animals to move clear of the barrier and lifted her hand; Emma mimicked the action and held her breath. Regina took several deep breaths and tried to convince herself that this would work. Half the power of magic, after all, was in belief, and she needed to believe that she was strong enough to break down the barrier. Emma's hand was firm in her grasp, and that alone was enough to bolster her spirits.

She wasn't alone in this. She had Emma, and together they could accomplish anything. She swallowed hard and began drawing power to her free hand; from her connection with Emma, she could feel the blonde doing the same thing. Once enough magic was thrumming in her hand, she glanced at Emma.

"Are you prepared, Emma?"

"Yes. We should aim at the same spot." Emma gestured to the building's front doors. "There okay?"

"There will be just fine."

"Whenever you're ready."

Regina hesitated. This was all they had for the moment. If this failed, she wasn't sure what to suggest next. She met Emma's gaze, and her mind quieted. Emma had complete faith in her, and she had to have faith in herself as well.

"Fire."

Magic zapped through the air, purple and gold bolts swirling around each other until they impacted the barrier. For a moment, Regina thought they had accomplished their goal. The barrier flexed concave but then bounced back out and rippled. Every bit of magic they had thrown at it dissipated in a fizzle, and Regina felt the air flee her lungs. Emma clung tight to her hand.

"Shit."

"Eloquent as always."

"Fucking shit."

"That's better."

"You were right. I think we need to know more about what we're facing." Emma dug into her pocket and found her phone. "As much as I hate doing this, I'm going to call Gold. He's the only one I can think of right now who might be able to tell us what this is."

0-0-0

"Spencer kidnapped two children, and shortly thereafter, a barrier was erected via some form of magic." Gold tutted quietly. "The obvious answer is that he used one of the children to wish for it."

"But that's just magic, right? Why didn't our magic just burst through it? Ours probably definitely is stronger." Emma gripped the phone tightly.

"They are made of different magics, I suppose."

Frustrated with his irritatingly calm voice, Emma growled. "Then what are we supposed to do? We need to get through to get to Henry. He's stuck in there, y'know? And if we don't get him out, you'll never have that family reunion you want so bad with you and him and Neal."

"Regina is capable of using ambient magic, which is likely what that barrier consists of."

Emma wished he were present so that she could shake his shoulders. This was not the time for mysterious answers and riddles. "What does that mean? She already tried attacking the barrier with me. The two of us combined couldn't do it."

"Have Regina use ambient magic to combat the barrier." He spoke slowly, as if she were a small child. "Beyond that, there is nothing I can offer. I can't use ambient magic, so I will be of little use to you."

Emma hung up angrily and turned to Regina. "He says you should be able to take the barrier down using ambient magic."

"I already tried wishing for the safe return of our son," Regina replied, her voice taut and testy. "As you told him, we already tried attacking the barrier head-on."

"How else can you use ambient magic?"

Regina thought quickly. "I don't have any sort of training in using ambient magic, but that doesn't mean I can't handle the magic once it's present."

"What do you mean?"

Regina walked away from her and pressed her palms to the vibrating barrier.

"Regina, what are you doing?" Emma followed her over and hovered just behind her shoulder. "Is this dangerous? Are you going to get hurt?"

"Do you recall your return to this world through the well?"

Emma shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Yeah. Of course."

"Rumple and I placed a curse on the well when we were certain that my mother would be coming through. Henry convinced me at the last minute that you would somehow defeat my mother and return, so I took the magic from the curse into my body. I'm going to do the same here."

"You weren't looking so… well." Emma hesitated. "Are you sure this is the only way? I don't want to rescue Henry and lose you…"

"I wouldn't do this unless I was positive. I'll be fine." Regina focused in on her task. "Before I begin, however, I would like to say something. I realize that this may make you uncomfortable, but I have to tell you how I feel-"

"I love you," Emma cut in. She nearly stuttered through the brief sentiment, but she kept her voice as steady as possible. Regina was intent on doing this, so she could at least give Regina something in terms of support. She would have time later to process everything more. "It's worrying as all hell that you're starting with the emotional speeches if you're so sure you'll be okay doing this, but I have to trust you."

"That's good to hear. Once the barrier is down, you need to go get him. Don't worry about me, no matter what."

"I'm going to worry, but I promise I'll go in after him."

"I love you as well, by the way." Regina turned her head and waited patiently for Emma to kiss her. Emma took a second to understand the silent plea but complied gladly.

With her emotions settled, Regina began to channel her energy anew. The barrier vibrated into her veins and felt akin to hot coffee sliding down her throat. There was heat, but the feeling wasn't altogether unpleasant. After a moment, however, the warmth began to accrue and before long, she was overheating. Sweat gathered on her brow and dribbled down her temples. She could sense Emma getting close to her, so she gritted out a few furious words that stopped Emma in her tracks. She had to finish this, even if it took the rest of her energy. She concentrated until every last drop of the barrier was thrumming uncomfortably through her.

"Regina… I know what I said before…"

"Then follow through," she managed to state. Regina practically crackled; lightning bolts jumped off her skin and danced through her hair. Her voice croaked as she spoke, and her knees wobbled as she stepped away from Emma. "Go get him. Otherwise, this wasn't worth anything."

Despite her concern about what 'this' was, Emma nodded. She moved to kiss Regina once more, but the brunette flinched away. "Are you okay?"

"Don't touch me. I… I think it might kill you."

Wondering how it wasn't killing Regina, Emma motioned for Artie, Olivia, and Bolt to follow her. With the barrier down, they were able to rush the guards. Emma drew her often-forgotten firearm and pointed the weapon at the bigger man. He immediately threw his hands up.

"This isn't worth the money!" His companion nudged him roughly, but he shook his head and stared down at the ground. "I agreed to help him, but I never said I'd kidnap a couple of kids. I'm out."

Before the more loyal goon could attack, Artie lunged at him. Emma was used to seeing Artie move with that sort of agility, but for the second time that day, she was glad he was that quick. With both men out of the way, she grabbed the door, ripped it open, and marched inside.


	49. Chapter 49

Emma sprinted into the building with boy, girl, and dog right behind her. She didn't think they were particularly suited to a rescue mission, but she wasn't going to complain about having backup. At the very least, they'd hopefully outnumber Spencer, which would give them a slight advantage. There was the added benefit of having someone around to rescue Henry if confronting Spencer went badly and she got wounded.

She skidded into the building's main room and nearly cried with relief when she spotted Henry bound and gagged but very much alive. The girl, Jenny, was a few feet from him, but her head was down. Emma couldn't tell if she had been injured. Henry hadn't seen her yet, which gave her a few seconds to glance around and assess for danger. Although there were no other guards like the ones outside, there was a single, glowing figure just beyond Henry. If she hadn't been so sure that Spencer was a normal asshole, she would have thought the figure was him. But Spencer had no magic. He was the regular sort of power hungry person,  which was a relief because he had already had too much sway without something like magic making his life easier.

She turned to her companions. "We have to get Henry and Jenny out of here. Can you guys do that if I distract Mr. Nightlight over there?"

Olivia nodded. "We'll do our best."

"Good luck." Emma resisted the urge to ruffle Olivia's hair. The girl wasn't a cat at the moment and likely wouldn't appreciate the gesture. She headed into the room, cleared her throat, and announced quite loudly that she was there to vanquish evil and save her son. The more noise she made, the easier time the kids would have with their rescue.

In better light, Emma could better make out that the man standing near Henry was indeed Spencer, but she had no idea how he had gotten so bright. Gone was his sagging belly, stout stature, and pale blue eyes. Instead, he stood straight with the energy of youth, a firm body, and steady black eyes. His clothes weren't of this world, and he seemed like he would be more at home in a storybook than in this reality. At his side hung a dingy brass lamp. Swallowing hard, she stepped toward him and summoned a ball of magic to her palm.

"Spencer, I don't know what game you're playing at, but you will let these kids go."

Spencer laughed, and the noise made her bones rattle. "If they weren't so beloved, I might. I don't need them any longer, but you won't take them."

"What do you mean?" Emma kept her eyes on him and tried to keep his attention on her rather than the two kids creeping along the sides of the room. "You don't need them anymore? What did you need them for in the first place?"

"I won't waste my time explaining to you. That's how you lose a fight, didn't you know? The hero tricks the villain into a long-winded speech about his plan, and suddenly, the tables have turned." Spencer shook his head. "That's not the way this is going to go."

"I would have thought you'd be one for tradition." His focus began to shift, so Emma shouted, "Hey! Don't know that taking your eyes off your enemy is another surefire way to lose?"

He stepped in her direction--thankfully, away from the kids--lifted a hand, and conjured a small, green flame. With a casual flick of his finger, he sent the fire spiraling toward her; she jumped to the side and then winced as the boxes behind her exploded.

"You're right. Enough of this. It's time for me to claim my victory."

Emma dodged a few more bolts and tried to think of a counter offensive that didn't involve shooting at Spencer. Any inaccuracy in her aim could result in hurting one or more of the children just behind him. She had to incapacitate him without damaging them, and she wasn't sure how to go about doing that. She needed time to think, but he wasn't indulging in her conversation topics of choice. Magic grazed her ear, and the pain helped her focus more clearly.

Before she could think of anything to help the situation, however, Artie ran toward her. He dodged in front of Spencer, threw a punch, and darted away. He was fast, which might be enough. While she was struggling to avoid the blasts of magic, Artie was nimble and agile and had little problem dancing out of the way. Frustrated, Spencer pointed a finger and uttered a word that shook the building. Artie stumbled, fell to the ground, and began to contort. His screech of pain devolved quickly into a howl, and his human form quickly shriveled, leaving behind a small, unmoving furry body.

Emma stared at first the dog and then at Spencer. The man was powerful, but he wasn't fighting for anything other than himself. If his purpose in taking Artie out had been to weaken them, he hadn't considered the galvanizing effect his collapse would have on her. Magic pooled in her finger tips, hot and heady. She could be careful, and she could avenge the poor animal who had caused her so much trouble over the past week. He was annoying, but he was also good. And nobody deserved to be hurt like that.

"Upset, are we?" Spencer spread his arms. "Take your best shot, if you'd like. I have phenomenal cosmic power-"

Emma didn't wait any longer; she flung every bit of strength and magic she had at him.

Olivia watched from the shadows, her heart beating quickly in her chest. She hadn't wanted any of this to happen... She just wanted to curl up with Jenny and watch movies and be normal, but that didn't seem to be in the cards for them. Jenny just had to get mixed up with Fagin, Pizza Parlor, and the strange, bad man who was flinging green lightning as if he were some sort of god. When he knocked Artie to the ground, a small peep of terror escaped her lips.

Bolt licked her fingers and brought her back to their task. There would be time for fear later. Fingers trembling, she began to untie her little lady friend. Jenny wasn't moving, which was worrisome. She loosed the girl's wrists and ankles and then fought to keep the girl from falling to the floor. She mewled quietly as she traced Jenny's jawline with a finger and then tapped Jenny's cheeks. Please, let Jenny be okay. That's all she really needed.

Bolt crawled into her lap and lapped at Jenny's face. The second his tongue slipped up her nostril, Jenny sputtered and sat up, clutching her head and gasping. She dragged her wrist over her face to get rid of the dog slobber before turning and throwing her arms around Olivia's neck. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks and soaked into Olivia's shirt.

"It's okay," Olivia soothed. She balled her hands up into Jenny's shirt. "We're here to save you."

"M-my head hurts," Jenny stuttered. "I want to go home."

"Soon. We just have to get Henry free."

"I can wish for it." Jenny closed her eyes, wished as hard as she could, and stared at Henry, who stared back at her with no small amount of confusion in his gaze. "It didn't work."

"Maybe it has something to do with the mayor." Olivia glanced at the battle raging behind them. She winced when a jolt of magic made contact with Emma; Emma stumbled as Spencer continued his onslaught, which made Olivia panic, but the blonde somehow kept flinging magic back.

"Are the police here, too?"

"Just Emma and Regina. Regina sucked in a magical wish barrier, so she's outside. Maybe she called for backup?" Olivia shrugged. "I don't know."

"I want to go home."

"I know. Let's get him untied and get out of here."

"Okay." Jenny wasn't quite steady on her feet, so Olivia kept a hand on her arm to keep her actively mobile.

Together, they crept up to Henry's chair; Spencer had once again gagged him, so when they heard him trying to speak, they ripped the cloth from his mouth. He sucked in several deep breaths before thanking them and turning his attention to Emma.

"He's a genie now, Emma! Get his lamp!"

His shouting, while helpful, directed Spencer's attention to their rescue effort. Olivia tugged desperately on the tight binds holding Henry's wrists in place. Jenny moved much more slowly than she did, which Olivia attributed to being kidnapped, and set about loosing Henry's feet. Olivia got his right arm free; with that hand, he began to tug at the leather around his neck. Before they could do much of anything, however, Spencer let out an inhuman roar.

"No!" Emma blasted magic at him, but without Regina to guide her, she didn't have the power and focus needed. He let her attacks hit him, and nothing she shot at him did more than fizzle out against him. "Pay attention to me! Leave them alone!"

He walked toward the gathered children, paused ten feet away, and pointed a finger at them. When there was sufficient magic gathered at his fingertip, he laughed and fired.

As Emma began moving forward, she realized with dreadful clarity that she wouldn't be able to stop anything. She couldn't save Henry. She couldn't save Olivia or Jenny either. She was a savior who couldn't save people. She pushed her body harder, hoping that he had missed or that this particular blast was weaker than the ones with which he had been trying to kill her. Regina would never forgive her if something were to happen to Henry. Hell, she'd never forgive herself. There was no way this mad man was going to take her kid from her.

Yet, the beam was going to strike them before she was anywhere near enough to change its course.

Just as the beam neared its target, a small shape lunged up in front of it. Emma came to an abrupt halt as the brilliant green magic slammed into Bolt's tiny body. An explosion of bright light erupted; Emma threw a hand over her eyes and squinted to protect her vision. This was her moment. She could stand there and let Spencer continue his rampage, or she could do something about it, even if that meant putting herself in even more danger. The lamp had been at his hip, as she recalled, so she barreled forward toward him.

The light faded, and Emma smashed into his back. He growled and tried to grab her, but she kept her head tucked down tightly as she fumbled for the lamp. She was vaguely aware that people were moving around her, but she kept herself focused on her task. His fists rained down on top of her back, but she wouldn't be deterred. Her fingers closed around the cool, metal surface, and with one hard yank, she was holding the lamp.

All at once, his furious beating ceased.

Emma flung herself at him once more for good measure. She slugged him across the cheek and then stepped back with a wince as pain rocketed through her fist. At Henry's suggestion, she pointed the lamp at him and willed him inside. Even as he flew head first into the lamp, she could see the anger in his eyes. After a few seconds, all that was left of him was a puff of green smoke that floated up to the ceiling. Emma stared down at the lamp and let out a sigh of relief.

"You okay?"

Henry nodded. "I'm glad you got here when you did, though…"

Emma stepped over Bolt to help get the rest of his restraints off. "I'm sorry it took so long. We weren't really expecting this, and we didn't know where to look."

"It's okay." Henry got to his feet and wobbled until she steadied him. "You're here now. You saved us."

"That wasn't me... That was Bolt." Emma turned to the fallen dog and grimaced. "Well, Bolt and Artie."

Henry knelt beside Bolt and lifted the dog into his arms. There was a dark mark singed into his fur, but he whuffed quietly at Henry's gentle attention. While Henry tended to Bolt, Emma headed for Artie. The little dog barely reacted to her touch. Her throat clenched as she pulled him fully into her arms and stood.

"Artie needs help, and it looks like Bolt might, too. Regina's outside, kid, and she's not in such good shape, either."

He clutched Bolt to his chest and motioned for the girls to follow him. Jenny clung to Olivia, and together, they all made their way to the front of the building. As they stepped into the sunshine, David's police cruiser crested the hill at the end of the street; his vehicle was followed by a dozen other cars.


	50. Chapter 50

Emma dropped down beside Regina, who was rather still but thankfully awake. Aware that Regina was still practically thrumming with magic, she kept her hands to herself and instead balled one into a fist against her thigh; the other was used to keep the dog secure.

"I got Henry out. Jenny, too." Emma tried to smile but failed. "So, that's one crisis down."

"Take care of him--"

"Don't be like that," Emma interrupted. Her voice hitched, so she cleared her throat. "When you say stuff like that, it makes it sound like… like, well, like you don't think you're going to make it."

"This feels," Regina started, her tone shaking. "Like poison. I can't do this."

"You can." Emma reached for her, but she jerked away. "Please, Regina. We've been through too much. You can get through this, too. I punched a fricking genie for our kid, so I think you can fight a little magic."

"You punched a genie?"

Emma held up the lamp, grateful to have found a topic that would keep Regina with her until help arrived. "Somehow or another, he got turned into a genie, which gave him awesome powers but also an itty, bitty living space. I couldn't stop him from hurting the kid; Spencer got that powerful, but Bolt saved Henry. I couldn't beat him with magic, but I've always been better with my fists."

"I suppose he truly is a super dog."

"Looks like we're going to have to keep him." Emma stared down at the dog in her arms. "I… I think I'm going to have to keep Artie, too."

"He belongs in dog jail." Regina flinched as magic jolted through her.

"Yeah, he's a little punk, but he worked just as hard as Bolt. He's part of the reason we still have our little family, and if that isn't deserving of a home, then I don't know what is."

"Well, he's your responsibility."

"I know, Mom," Emma teased. "I'll walk him every day and feed him and play with him all the time."

Regina's face contorted with pain; Emma frowned and wished there were something she could do to ease Regina's suffering. She rubbed Artie's ears to keep calm and then twisted around to see how far away help was. David's car screeched to a halt a short distance away, and he and Gold both made their way over; David was much quicker, however, as Gold could only hobble and seemed to be in no particular rush.

"Are you okay?" He tugged Emma into a tight hug that lasted a few more seconds than she thought were entirely necessary. When he pulled back, he examined her for injury. "Where's Spencer?"

Emma gestured to the lamp on the ground beside her. "Don't rub that lamp, or you'll find out."

"He's in the lamp." David looked puzzled until Emma launched into an explanation about the events that transpired before back-up arrived. The kids added in bits and pieces where necessary, which Emma was grateful for. There were definitely gaps in her knowledge.

When she caught Gold looking too closely at the lamp, Emma shifted the brass object behind her back and stared him down. "Can you help Regina?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. What happened to her?"

"She sucked in a barrier." Emma felt helpless and hated not being able to do more. "Like she did that curse in the well. And now she's all crackly and lightning-y."

Gold raised a hand and scanned it over Regina's body. "She sucked in much more than a barrier, dearie. She has somehow taken in all the ambient magic left over from our arrival."

"Seriously?"

"Have one of the children make a wish."

"I already tried," Jenny asserted. She flushed when everyone turned to look at her.

"It's true," Olivia put in. "When we were inside, she wished for Henry to be free, but it didn't work. Nothing happened."

Jenny nodded. "I also wished really hard to go home, and that didn't work either."

Gold gestured extravagantly and titled his head. "There we have it. Proof that Regina has absorbed every bit of shattered magic."

"That's great," Emma replied. "But what do we do about it? There has to be something."

"She's the only person capable of doing anything with that magic. As she well knows, I am not a practice of ambient magic, whereas she is."

"Regina?" Still cradling Artie, Emma turned to her fallen companion. "Can you do anything with it?"

"Like what?" Regina hated how broken her voice sounded. She was supposed to be strong, not puling and whimpering.

"Anything. Just get rid of it."

"Preferably something that doesn't destroy part of town," David added. "Unless that's what it takes. Whatever you need. Forget I said anything."

Regina lifted a trembling hand and tried to will something to happen. If she wanted something hard enough, it would happen, but the sheer effort of focusing her attention was painful. She let her hand drop back to the ground. She was going to die, she realized. She'd had a good life--better now than ever before. She would die having known a family that loved her. She licked her lips and called out for Henry.

"Mom?" He didn't dare touch her, but he got as close as he could. "What do you need me to do?"

"Be good for Emma." Tears struggled out of her eyes and dripped down her cheeks.

"Mom, you're going to be fine," he insisted.

"I don't think so. This is my punishment."

He folded his arms over his chest. "Is that what you want? Is that why you're giving up so easily?"

"This isn't easy, Henry…"

"I wish you knew…" He fell silent for a moment and considered the idea spawned by his words. Hesitantly, he asked, "Could you try wishing for something?"

Wishing didn't require much more than a statement, she thought. There was no focusing and no intensity, so she could probably manage that. The power buzzed through her system, seemingly eager for her to use it. She wondered what should she wish for. She already had everything she wanted in life: she had Henry, she had Emma, and she had a home. She had people who cared about her and who were doing everything in their power to help her. She even had a dog and an extended family. There was nothing else she needed. She took a few shaking breaths; if the wish wasn't for her, then maybe she could make it on behalf of someone else.

She remembered Henry's wish that Emma hadn't given him up. She could wish for that. It would end life as she knew it, but they could be happy together. If that was what he wanted, she didn't want to stand in his way. The moment passed; she was too selfish for that wish because no matter how happy they might be, she couldn't delete them from her life. She could wish for him to be successful, but she knew how empty that was if brought about by a parent.

Her mind then turned to Emma. The blonde had been through a life of hell, just as she had. She could wish that Snow and David hadn't put Emma in the bureau, thus giving Emma the life she had been denied. Still, this would have the same result as Henry's wish. Regina's tears slid sluggishly down her cheeks. She couldn't lose them, but she didn't know how to make them happier.

"Anything," Emma murmured in her ear. "Just wish for anything, okay? And then we can go home and rest."

Rest. Regina's lips quirked up into a wobbly smile. "I wish for Emma to no longer suffer from insomnia."

The magic ravaged through her and sizzled out of her fingertips. For three long seconds, she felt like she was about to explode, but the pressure faded; she was left feeling hollow and light. She panted madly before she realized that there was no more pain, at which point she gathered herself as primly as she could and sat up with Emma's assistance. Emma cupped her cheeks, grateful that she could once again touch the other woman, and pulled Regina in for a brief, sweet kiss. When Emma pulled away, Regina followed and, over Henry's embarrassed groans, kissed Emma with every ounce of emotion that was roiling through her, from the fear and panic over Henry to the overwhelming relief of no longer carrying the ambient magic inside.

"Hot damn," Emma whispered, setting her forehead against Regina's. "Y'know, you don't have to almost die to kiss me like that."

Even exhausted as she was, Regina mustered a snort. "And you don't have to wait for a crisis to tell me you love me."

"I won't." Emma grinned. "How about now? I love you."

"Mom!" Henry pushed Emma aside, handed her Bolt, and hugged Regina. Emma fumbled for a moment to balance both dogs, while Henry continued, "You did it!"

"We did it together." He nuzzled against her as she turned her attention to David. "How did you know where to find us?"

"I got a list of all his land, but nothing looked like the right sort of place to keep hostages. I was about to give up hope, when Mr. Gold remembered that he and Mr. Spencer had conducted a small transaction about half a year ago." David jerked his head at the building. "Seemed like as good a place as any. We were going to check more places, too, but then there was that blast of light. It led us here just in time."

"A little sooner would have been appreciated." Emma smirked at her father.

"Next time remember you have a cell phone before you go fight the big bad guy," he chided. "That way I can actually keep you safe."

"Believe me," Regina replied. "You can't keep her anything. She does what she wants."

"Either way, things turned out okay." Emma helped Regina to stand up. "The wishing is done. Spencer is… We'll call it imprisoned."

"If you need somewhere--"

"No, thanks." Emma glared at Gold, not trusting the man to not abuse the power that came with controlling a genie. He huffed and folded his arms over his chest, as if he couldn't believe her distrust. "We just need to arrest Fagin."

"Please don't…" Jenny looked down at her shoes. "He really didn't mean any harm. I promise."

"He broke the law," Emma said, voice uncertain. "He has to answer for what he's done."

"He's just a scaredy cat. Please. You know he wouldn't have done what he did if Mr. Spencer wasn't such a… a butt-head." Jenny lifted her gaze to Emma's face and pierced Emma's soul with her mournful eyes. "I know it's not proper procedure, but since when has anything in this town been proper procedure?"

"Look, kid, I'll ask your mom, okay? If she doesn't mind, then I'll see what we can do."

"Thank you."

Emma shrugged. "Whatever you want, I guess. You're the victim here."

"What happens to me?" Olivia was half-hidden behind Jenny but peered around the other girl to get a better look at Emma.

"Can you just go back to being a cat?"

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know how. I tried what worked before, but I'm still a person."

"The magic is gone," Gold supplied, "and with it went its side effects."

Without thinking Emma offered, "You can stay with me, if you want."

As Olivia appraised her words, she wondered exactly how this would all work out. She was getting her own place sometime soon, but she hadn't counted on needing space for two dogs and another kid. Still, Olivia needed somewhere, and she couldn't turn her back on a homeless child.

"Are you through collecting strays?"

Emma winced at the stern tone of Regina's voice, but she relaxed when she saw the small smile on Regina's lips. "Just about."

"Then may we go home?"

Nodding, Emma offered Regina her arm, which was full of dog but still had a usable elbow. Both dogs had come to a bit more, and neither seemed to be in imminent danger or any pain. "Whatever you want. But you're officially taking it easy for the next few weeks."

"So are you." Regina stumbled along with her. "Henry, you are no longer allowed to get into cars with strangers, are we clear?"

Henry blushed. "I thought Emma was hurt."

"We'll come up with a family code word."

Emma jumped a bit as Olivia appeared at her side and grabbed her other elbow. The kid was quiet, she thought. Almost as though she used to be a cat... Emma rolled her eyes and continued walking. "In other news, while we were running around I think I saw a house for rent that might be what I'm looking for. It might be a bit expensive, but it had a yard big enough for two dogs…"

"Half the land in this town is owned by Rumple." Regina spoke carefully in the hopes that Emma would pick up on what she meant.

"So?"

"We happen to have something he wants."

Emma eyed Regina curiously. "What's that?"

"Time with Henry." Regina slid her arm around Henry's shoulders. "I've done some thinking and decided perhaps he would benefit from some time with his father. If Henry wants, that is."

Henry shoved his hands into his pockets. "I mean, I wouldn't be against it."

"There we go. We'll get you a good deal on rent."

Emma tilted her face to the sky and laughed. Soon enough, Olivia had joined her, which prompted Henry and Regina to laugh as well. This was nice. This was family.


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: Sexual content in this chapter.

**Epilogue**

Emma took the casserole out of the oven and inhaled slowly. She wasn't as good a cook as Regina, but she had definitely made something fairly tasty that evening. A pair of hands slid around her waist, and she leaned back into Regina's arms. The brunette kissed her neck, evoking a small purr of satisfaction and a grin.

"Hey, you."

"Something smells delicious."

"It's Snow's recipe." Emma wiggled her eyebrows. "I hope that doesn't put you off your dinner."

"I'm glad you're on good terms with her again."

"She still wants to decorate, and I can tell she's hurt that I don't want her to. It's just… I've seen her place. I lived there, y'know? I want this to be, well, my place." Emma felt her cheeks heating as she added, "Maybe our place."

"You also said you didn't want my help-"

"I said I didn't want you paying for stuff. You don't need to take care of me, especially not like that. I didn't say you couldn't tell me what you do or don't want hanging on the walls."

"How about I buy the stuff I want, and you buy what you want?" Regina kissed her again and went about getting the table set for dinner. "I know I don't live here, at least not formally, but I enjoy that I can consider this my space as well."

"All those sessions with Archie are really paying off, huh?" Emma rinsed her hands at the sink. "Telling me how you feel seems a lot easier than before."

"You'd benefit from going to see him, too."

Emma shook her head. "I'm okay, okay? I know I've got some stuff… but I've always been able to deal with it on my own."

"Emma…"

"Can we just drop it for the evening? I want to focus on embarrassing Henry."

"Kids, come on! Dinner!"

Emma sat at the table and watched her rag-tag family come darting into the room. Olivia appeared first, her smile wide and eager. Although the first few months of being honestly and truly human with no ability to return to being a cat had been stressful, she had eventually adapted to life as a little girl. She stuck close to Emma whenever possible, and Emma had to admit that she was awfully fond of the kid. She did her best to be the sort of guardian she'd always wanted when she was a bouncing through the system.

Moments later, Henry and Ava clattered into the room, chattering about the game they had just paused. From what Emma could gather, they were at a nearly impossible level, according to Henry anyway. He had grown up quite a bit since his ordeal, and although he still smiled a good deal, she could tell he was more on edge. At the moment, however, he was enjoying the company of his girlfriend and looked more relaxed than he had in months. Ava thanked her politely for allowing her to share their meal and took a seat beside Henry.

The final members of the family snuck in last. Regina had fought to make the kitchen a dog-free zone while they ate, but Artie had consistently found a way into the room despite their best efforts. Once Artie had infiltrated, there was little point in forcing Bolt to remain in the hallway, so both hounds got to sit under the table during every meal. Emma didn't mind getting her toes licked, but she could see the irritation in Regina's gaze. Still, Regina didn't complain, so Emma didn't ask.

To interrupt Henry and Ava, Emma leaned forward and asked, "Did you know I can still kick Henry's butt at Call of Duty?"

Ava giggled while Henry flushed. "Ma, could you not? I'm totally getting good enough to beat you, so…"

Emma realized just how nice her life was, and the same old terror filled her. Good things never lasted long in her life, and this was the best she'd ever had it. That meant that whatever ill was on its way was going to be equal in its enormity. Her throat clenched as the desire to flee overtook her. She glanced over at Regina, whose steady gaze brought her back.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded and found with no small relief that she actually was. "Wasn't for a second, but yeah. Thanks."

Regina pulled her closer for a small kiss, which left Henry groaning. He hid his eyes behind a hand and proclaimed loudly that he didn't want to deal with gross public displays of affection at school, and he had no desire to be subjected to the same at home. Emma enjoyed the kiss for a moment longer before breaking away and flicking a balled up piece of napkin at him.

"We don't complain about you kissing Ava," Regina stated blandly. She fiddled with her silverware to appear nonchalant in her teasing. "You don't seem to care about affection when you are a party to it."

Henry flushed beet red. "Mom, seriously? Not cool."

"She's right, kid. Your logic's flawed."

"He isn't known for his logic," Ava added quietly. "After all, when he was captured, he didn't wish for Mr. Spencer to die or pass out."

"No ganging up on me!" Henry lifted his hands. "And for the record, I did think of that, but I was worried he would hurt Jenny. You try being in that position and coming up with the best possible solution given the circumstances."

As dinner flowed onward, Emma tried to enjoy every moment. Perhaps things would take a turn for the worse soon, but until that moment, she had love all around her. By the time everyone had finished eating, she was completely calm again, save for the few short words said fighting Henry's distaste for cleaning dishes.

0-0-0

As the evening wound down, Regina followed Emma to the master bedroom. Despite Emma's cool demeanor at dinner, she was minutely worried that something was indeed amiss with the blonde. Once in private, she knew she could probably pry into Emma's innermost thoughts. With the door shut, however, the words wouldn't form in her mouth. Even after all this time, Emma was a guarded person, and Regina never wanted to push. On the other hand, Archie had told her she deserved answers, so she resolved to say something. Emma shed her clothing and reached for a pair of pajamas; Regina set a hand on her wrist.

"Emma, I can tell something has been on your mind."

"Something was earlier, yeah. But it's the same old thing. Just, y'know… Scared." Emma did her best to be honest. She knew how hard Regina was trying and couldn't justify hiding while Regina was being open.

"Scared?"

"All of this... It could all disappear overnight, y'know? And I don't do well with loss or change." Emma stood awkwardly and shrugged. "I don't think I could be happy if something bad were to happen to any of us. We finally have something good and peaceful."

"I understand. Nothing has ever gone this well for me in the past. Part of me is still waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Sometimes I still can't believe this is all real." Emma flushed. "Like maybe Spencer destroyed me, and this is some sort of coma dream."

Regina moved closer and slipped her hand around to the clasp of Emma's bra. The garment dropped away, freeing Regina up to remove Emma's boy shorts. When Emma reached for her clothing, Regina batted her hands away.

"Let me show you how real this is," she murmured, her voice a sensual rasp. She guided Emma to bed.

She took her time covering Emma's upper body with small kisses. Emma pressed her head back into the pillow and threaded her fingers through Regina's hair. When Regina suckled on her earlobe, she hissed quietly and resisted the urge to pull the dark locks between her fingers. Emma's heart thudded heavily against her rib cage as she delighted in each small caress of Regina's lips. Their mouths met, and Emma kept Regina close while their tongues moved together. Regina's knee shifted against her groin, causing arousal to pool low in her belly.

"I love you, Emma," Regina said when their lips popped apart. "I want to spend the rest of my life proving it to you as often as you need."

Emma trailed a hand along her cheek. "I love you, too."

"I know." Regina kissed her again softly. "Now let me work."

"Yes, ma'am."

Emma closed her eyes and relaxed as Regina once more began placing small kisses along her heated skin. Regina relished in how much Emma trusted her and kissed her way down Emma's torso. She took several minutes to lavish attention on Emma's hardened nipples before continuing on to Emma's hips. She kissed the bony outcropping of each side before sliding her mouth along center. Emma shifted underneath her, desperate for more direct contact. Regina obliged happily; she puffed a warm breath against Emma's clit before applying her tongue.

"Oh…" Emma released Regina's hair, afraid of doing damage, and clutched at the bedspread. Although they had been having sex for a while now, she had yet to get used to how tender Regina could be with her. There were times when they were rough with one another, but she generally preferred this sort of coming together, where Regina made her feel like the only person in the world.

Regina took her time and alternated between long, slow licks and firm, short flicks of her tongue. She eased two fingers into her lover and pumped in time with the ministrations of her mouth. Emma squirmed for her, and she made sure to draw out this interaction as long as she could. Eventually, Emma climaxed, her body tightening around Regina's fingers and her legs clenching beside Regina's head. Regina waited a moment before gently removing her hand and taking one last lick. Emma shivered at the attention before curling onto her side and sighing loudly.

"Gimme a second."

"You have as many seconds as you need." Regina curled against her. "I'm in no hurry."

"Yeah?"

She was baring more of herself than she was truly comfortable sharing, but that seemed to be her new modus operandi. She cleared her throat and said, "I'd like to think we have a lifetime, Ms. Swan."

Emma was silent for a few moments, which made Regina's anxiety flare. She touched Emma's arm, in an attempt to establish a connection. Before she could stutter out an explanation, Emma nodded. "I think I'd like to think that, too. I'm not saying–-look, I think it's too soon for, like, y'know… the 'm' word, but… Maybe someday?"

Regina's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Emma's cheeks heated. "Here's the thing. I'm still really getting used to having my cake and eating it too, so I don't know if I'm ready to be Mrs. Regina Mills."

"Oh."

"Unless that wasn't what you were implying, and I'm making a total butt-head out of myself." Emma covered her face with her hands. "Maybe you were just commenting that we definitely have until morning, and I went and made it weird."

"This isn't weird. This is a normal conversations couples have."

"Archie?"

"It doesn't matter, does it? Is it less true if my therapist said it first?"

"Well, no… I'm just… stalling."

"Do you see this relationship going somewhere serious?"

"Regina, I can't see myself as a separate unit anymore, and that really freaks me out. When did I stop being Emma Swan and become Emma Swan and Regina Mills?" Emma buried her face in her hands. "I love you, but I'm afraid, and not just of things going away on me. I'm afraid I'm not me anymore."

"I prefer to think you're the you you'd have been before if you had grown up in an environment where the people around you honestly cared about you."

Emma snuggled against her. "That's… a different way of thinking about it. So, I'm not someone different, really, I'm just who I could have been?"

"Emma, what makes you Emma is your heart. You've been headstrong and passionate since the day I met you, and those traits are still present. You have softened around the edges, but your core is still exactly who you want to be, I promise."

Emma considered the words for a short while and then sighed. This wasn't an issue they would solve overnight, she realized, so she had to take things easy on herself. She couldn't expect perfect results from a single conversation. Maybe she would finally make a real appointment with Archie. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize for sharing your feelings with me."

Emma reached behind and trailed a finger down Regina's side. "Did you want something?"

"Not tonight, Emma." Regina kissed her shoulder. "Tonight, I am simply content being with you. I wish-"

"Please, anything but those words."

"I want this," Regina amended. "I want you."

Emma yawned, settled in to sleep, and thought briefly about everything that had led to this moment. A small smile graced her lips as she fell easily asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus, we are done. I mistakenly thought there were 52 chapters, but there are 51. My bad, guys. Thanks for reading--and being patient while I edited the work all the way through.

**Author's Note:**

> After a lot of soul searching and internal battles, I decided to clean this up to my standards and post it afresh. If you'd like more details about what happened, [feel free to check out my Tumblr](http://fullboyle.tumblr.com/post/150938223643/anxiety-etc). Although all 52 chapters are already written, it may take some time to post as I'm going over everything very carefully.


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